


The Peculiarities of Heats

by Ælfflæd (MurderRose)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, Fluff and Smut, Idiots, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Omega Yoon Jeonghan, Open to find the rest of the dynamics!, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Postheat, Safe Sane and Consensual, Scenting, Sex, Submissive Yoon Jeonghan, chomp - Freeform, exposing myself like this sigh, have i mentioned biting? lots of biting, how could i forget that mwahahah, if you want to melt, lots of fluff, lots of smut, preheat, so many pet names, this is the fic for you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:20:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25088302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderRose/pseuds/%C3%86lffl%C3%A6d
Summary: The first heat out of an omega’s usual routine was generally a bit of a shit show.  Jeonghan’s is no different.Alternatively: Nesting, but with additional Sin, Drama, Stress and Plot.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Yoon Jeonghan, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Yoon Jeonghan, Do I really have to?, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Jeon Wonwoo/Yoon Jeonghan, Kim Mingyu/Yoon Jeonghan, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Yoon Jeonghan, Lee Chan | Dino/Yoon Jeonghan, Lee Jihoon | Woozi/Yoon Jeonghan, Lee Seokmin | DK/Yoon Jeonghan, OT13, SEVENTEEN Ensemble/SEVENTEEN Ensemble, Seventeen Pack - Relationship, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Yoon Jeonghan, Xu Ming Hao | The8/Yoon Jeonghan, Yoon Jeonghan/Everyone
Comments: 60
Kudos: 329
Collections: Finished Reading





	1. Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Welcome to my den of sin (and fluff lol).
> 
> The characters mentioned within are their own humans in real life and this is not in any way a reflection of their lives etc.  
> They’re all slightly OC, because well. It’s an AU and it’s mine. And I love it.
> 
> If you don’t like subby omegas or lots of planning and worry and a very real desire to avoid the word penis and all its slang terms (have fun counting how many times I avoid it!), please turn around, please press the back button, cause well. It's 26k+ words long.
> 
> I have to thank lots of humans, real humans.  
> Firstly to my beta, the wonderful [Nico](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampiricalthorns/pseuds/Vampiricalthorns). I couldn’t have done this without you.  
> Secondly to people that I have ranted about this to in a ‘purely theoretical way’, to those of you who know it solely as The Beast, thanks for not sending me to hell.  
> Finally to twitter, for putting up with constant clickbait.
> 
> Comments make my whole world go round, so either here, or I'm [@RoseEnDiamant](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant) on Twitter and [MurderRose](https://curiouscat.qa/MurderRose) on Curious Cat.
> 
> Be nice, talk to me!  
> Rose x

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heats are talked about and we meet the Organisational Betas!   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You’ve heard of dom/sub switches now get ready for responsibility switch betas.

There was a movie playing on the large tv screen in the living room, but nobody except Jun was paying it any attention. Most of the members had either zoned out, fallen asleep, or gone to their bedrooms. It had been a long month; between touring, award ceremonies, Seungkwan’s heat, Chan’s rut and Minghao's ankle injury. To top it all off, Vernon had fallen asleep after an event and sent the entire pack and all of their staff on a wild goose chase, only to find him already in their car. Everyone needed a week of sleep. 

Jeonghan was on his side between Seungcheol and the back of the couch, their legs tangled together, both of them half asleep. He opened his eyes and steeled himself before whispering a quiet “...alpha?” in Seungcheol’s ear. 

“Yeah?” Seungcheol mumbled blearily, eyes closed. 

“I think I could? Maybe I should?” Jeonghan took a deep breath, “I want to spend my next heat with everyone."

Seungcheol opened his eyes wide. His hand stilled where it had been absently stroking Jeonghan’s back before starting up again as he turned his head to kiss Jeonghan’s ear in reassurance. "That would be lovely if you’re ready. Don’t push yourself, baby, you-”

“I’m not. I’ve made you - everyone has waited long enough. Alpha, I’m ready," Jeonghan said, tensing up and cutting across Seungcheol. 

“You can change your mind at any moment. We won’t mind. Nobody has minded waiting, you know? I know I’d much prefer to never share your heat than for you to be uncomfortable the entire time,” Seungcheol said, rumbling soothingly. Jeonghan relaxed against him again. He knew. 

“It should be next month, after Jihoon’s birthday. Will that be okay?”

Seungcheol twisted, Jun or Joshua would be best to answer that, “I’m sure it will be. If it isn't we'll talk to management, figure something out. Let me just check with Junnie. Junnie?” he whisper-shouted, crooking his finger, and Jun startled, he’d been captivated by the movie. He paused it and came over to the couch, kneeling beside them. 

“What’s up?”

“Jeonghan was just suggesting we share his next heat?” Seungcheol said softly and Jeonghan turned his head further into Seungcheol’s shoulder with a smile. Thinking and talking were two separate things. 

“Aw Hyung! That sounds fantastic!” Jun was smiling brightly enough to light a bulb, “When are you due?”

Jeonghan uncurled, “After Jihoon’s birthday? Hopefully. Is that, will that be okay?”

Jun counted in his head, humming, before nodding repeatedly, “Perfect Hyung. We're off around then anyway. If you sit down with me and Shua-hyung tomorrow we can make some plans and chat. Don’t worry! It’ll be great!”

Jeonghan smiled at the beta’s exuberance. It was a big decision, but it was time. 

  
  


*

  
  


The next day, after the other members had made themselves scarce: going to the other dorm, out with friends or to the studios; Joshua and Jun coaxed Jeonghan into the kitchen and poured tiny steaming cups of oolong tea. Jeonghan immediately picked his up and cradled it close, taking strength from its warmth. 

Jun smiled as he opened a notebook and entitled a page with Jeonghan’s name before putting the pen down and looking at him. "So Hyung. You have to be as honest with us as possible, don’t be embarrassed to say something, or worried because we didn’t ask a question that you shouldn’t feel a certain way or want a certain thing. All things are relevant, cause we want you to enjoy your heat and be in as little discomfort as possible. Okay?”

Jeonghan nodded his head, swallowing some tea, “Yeah, ok. Honest as possible."

Joshua nudged Jeonghan’s leg with his foot, “Relax Han, it’s fine. We’re not going to judge you, and we’ve done this with the others, don’t worry."

“I trust you, it’s not that, I’m just, this is weird."

“It’s normal, ok?" Jun reassured before diving right in. "So, normally would you use a service, ride it out solo, or spend it with someone else?” 

Jeonghan blinked at him like a deer in headlights, before gaining some semblance of control over his reactions and shaking himself out of it. “I’ve used some service or another since I was 15. They’re quite intense? They’re not hard to get through, they’re just… intense, yeah, that’s about it. My family couldn’t deal with them, I need more than one person and I can’t work through them solo."

Jun was writing things down, and Joshua drew Jeonghan’s attention away from the pen with his own question. "So, how long do they usually last? 12 hours, 48 hours?”

“Around 2 days normally excluding pre and post."

“Perfect... we’re just gonna run through a list of preferences now. So, things you like to eat during, before and after your heats, smells that you can’t stand, brands you prefer, things you like, don’t like, etcetera. We’ve heard some pretty weird requests, so aim to beat them if you want,” Joshua laughed and Jeonghan smiled. 

*

  
  


“Ok,” Jun took over, “That’s preferences done. Are you allergic to anything? We should already know, but you know. If I didn’t ask and found out later, I would never forgive myself..."

Jeonghan shook his head, “Not that I know of. Can we take a small break?” 

“Of course!” Jun closed over his notebook, “I’m going to make some more tea if anyone wants some?” He picked up the teapot questioningly. 

They nodded, and Jun went back to the counters. Joshua shuffled his chair over beside Jeonghan and wrapped an arm around him. Jeonghan leaned his head into his shoulder with an exhale. 

“Nervous?”

Jeonghan nodded, and Joshua hugged him, “You’re doing really well. Just a few more things, and then we’re bringing you for ice-cream,” Joshua soothed, brushing his wrist against Jeonghan's in reassurance. By the time Jun served them all some more tea and reopened his notebook, Jeonghan was ready to continue. 

“Ok, we kinda covered this with the service thing, I’m assuming they’ve matched you with an alpha since your heats are intense. Have you been with betas and omegas?”

“Yep. Both,” Jeonghan nodded. He was flushed, but they expected embarrassment. It wasn't the easiest topic to talk about. 

“Ok, perfect. So Jihoon and Minghao are the betas that will be with you during your heat. The others will be there afterwards. You’re comfortable with them?”

“Yes, of course, and you two?”

“There’s no ‘of course’ about it Jeonghan-ah! None of this is a given,” Joshua frowned at him, “Jun floats around, so you’ll see him throughout, but after your heat fully kicks in you probably won’t see me. Is that okay?” 

Joshua squeezed Jeonghan’s hand tightly. There were seven betas in Seventeen, and some of them were more or less comfortable with various things. They couldn’t all do everything anyway, so they took care of the things that they were comfortable with. 

Jeonghan nodded slowly, “I think it’s okay."

“Right, so, we don’t plan everything down to an itinerary, but do you have a general idea of which alpha you’d like first or will we leave that to you to decide during your heat?” Jun asked carefully, but Jeonghan’s reaction was vehement. 

“No! Don’t leave anything till then, God!” He laughed, but his reaction said enough, “Seungcheol-ah first. Channie last. There’s a tiny chance that he could spark a nesting heat, and I really want to spend this heat with the pack. So leave him till last please."

Joshua and Jun were shocked into silence. Neither of them had even thought that it would be a possibility that Jeonghan and Chan had those kinds of feelings for each other. Maybe neither of them thought of it as a serious issue because the discussions surrounding the formation of their pack had been long, extensive and mediated by a professional, so if it had truly been an issue, it would have impeded the formation of their pack. Or at least the formation of their pack as a non-platonic pack. Or at least come up! Hopefully, they hadn’t hidden it and had at least talked about it with each other before now. 

"It's a tiny chance."

Jun looked at Joshua for a moment, gauging his reaction, before nodding, “Okay then. You should talk that over with Chan, just to make sure that he knows it’s possible. We’ll take care of the rest alright?” 

Jeonghan nodded, studying the grains in the table. 

Joshua smiled, “Just one last question, is there anyone you want to be with you constantly? It’s just I know Wonwoo always wants to see Minghao, he freaks if he doesn’t see him at least once an hour, and your comfort is all we want for this thing." 

“Omegas." Jeonghan’s voice was tiny and low and sweet and Joshua did not like the sound of that. No voice should be that close to omega-space a month ahead of a heat. Jeonghan seemed to recognise that and coughed slightly, “I’d like one of the omegas there at all times."

“Ok honey, we can do that. Ok, I think we’re done?” Joshua looked at Jun, who nodded, closing the book and clicking his pen closed. 

“Time for ice-cream!” 

  
  


*

  
  


“Are you free on Sunday?” Joshua asked a few nights later while they were getting ready for bed. 

Jeonghan nodded, brushing his teeth, and gave Joshua a quizzical expression. 

“Heat shopping. We could order online or ask the managers to pick things up, but Jun and I prefer to do it ourselves, sometimes a particular scent sets someone off and we’d prefer that to happen in the shop and not in the bedroom, you know? Plus, do you want Manager Jeon knowing what flavour lube you prefer?”

Jeonghan blushed bright red and shook his head sharply. He rinsed his mouth out, “Certainly not. I’m free."

  
  


The rest of the month went smoothly. The only hiccup had been an embarrassing trip to the supply shops. The Service usually supplied everything, so Jeonghan had tried to work his way through the Heat Shops with no previous experience and only a fuzzy idea of what he’d used before. He'd felt so useless, it seemed like he didn't know anything so he'd gotten quieter and quieter until Jun sent Joshua off to pay and tugged him into an out of the way corner, wiping his tears and asking gently what was wrong. 

When Jeonghan had explained that he felt so pathetic and ignorant, Jun had tugged him into a tight hug and told him that he hadn't been expected to be knowledgeable, that there was a reason that betas were in charge of these things, and that they were learning together. 

Joshua had had to cough quite loudly when he'd returned with the bags, Jun had gone with the time tested method of 'kiss the shame away'. 

  
  


Other than that, there had been lots of talking between the members, and Jeonghan was ready for his heat. The members were ready for his heat. They were excited, they’d formed a pack nearly two years ago now and Jeonghan still hadn’t been intimate with most of them, he had always made himself scarce for heats and ruts. It had been his decision and one that they had all supported. Comfort first and all that. But now that he wanted to share it, to spend his heat with the members? You better be sure that they were all excited!


	2. Preheat Predicaments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember how Jeonghan promised to be fully honest? Yeah. Joshua is wondering the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah I love a bitta foreshadowing in the morning.

In the days leading up to his heat, Jeonghan started to get jittery and anxious. It was normal. It was a big deal, a big change. The members tried to soothe his fears. Each of them took the time to sit with him and talk or treat him to something that he liked. Everyone trying to reassure him that it was normal to feel on edge about everything but that everything would work out perfectly. 

So when his heat was due and they’d kicked the alphas up to the other dorm and piled into the sitting room to cuddle and relax before everything started, they didn’t expect Jeonghan to be as nervous as he was. 

Jeonghan was so, _so_ nervous and tense that it was freaking everyone out. His scent was sour and encroaching on fear and it was unsettling some of the betas. It was his first heat with the pack, not the service, so it was understandable that Jeonghan was worried about everything, but they’d talked about every single thing. They’d talked through things that could go wrong, things that could happen too fast, things that could go right. Joshua and Jun had tried their best, and their best was very good, to set Jeonghan’s mind at rest. 

But Jeonghan was worried that his pack would think of him differently, worried that something would go wrong, worried that he’d cross a line, worried about a thousand different things, things that maybe he hadn’t brought up. He cuddled tighter into Wonwoo. 

Jun frowned at him. He shouldn’t be so worried, he’d been perfectly fine when they’d talked about everything, and unless he hadn’t said something, this level of worry was _way_ too high. 

  
  


The omegas were cuddled up together in a pile of bean bags. Wonwoo was pressed flush against Jeonghan’s side, and Seungkwan was half in his lap, both chattering away and petting Jeonghan’s hair or nape softly, trying their best to soothe him and acting as a not so subtle physical barrier between him and the room. Joshua and Jun were hovering nearby, ready to help or intervene if needed, and the rest of the betas were piled in an indistinguishable heap on the couch laughing and talking loudly. 

All of a sudden, Jeonghan’s scent spiked with fear and Seungkwan darted a look at Wonwoo. Jeonghan shouldn’t be scared. Nervous and worried? Sure. But not scared. Wonwoo looked over at Joshua, maybe Jeonghan had said something to him? But it could well be irrational. Heats were pretty irrational. 

Jeonghan hid his face in Seungkwan’s hair, whining quietly. Joshua scooched over and nudged Seungkwan fully onto Jeonghan’s lap so that they could both nuzzle into his neck. He brought their throats together, quick affection, and the scent glands on either side of Jeonghan’s neck were suddenly wet with scent: his, Seungkwan’s and Joshua’s. Jeonghan’s scared whine stuttered into a fluttering purr. 

After Jeonghan’s purr steadied and his scent calmed, Joshua rubbed his back gently, asking, “Do you want to go take a bath now?”

Jeonghan leaned into Joshua’s touch and nodded. Seungkwan shifted over into Wonwoo’s lap and Joshua pulled Jeonghan up and cuddled him against his side. Jeonghan was completely red, but he smelled like home and Joshua had never heard him purr so confidently. It was good to know that they were doing the right thing. 

“Can we use that lavender bath bomb?” Jeonghan asked tentatively halfway up the stairs and Joshua nodded. 

“Of course we can. That is why we bought it after all." The bath bomb was one of the special preheat products that they’d purchased. It was created to soothe one's inner omega and reassure them that this was something they’d planned for. Something that they’d chosen. The first heat out of a routine, especially a routine so well established as Jeonghan’s was, was, well... pretty difficult. Jeonghan may be happy and excited to share it with them, but omegas didn’t, as a rule, like change. And if the slightest thing went wrong, it would upset the whole apple cart. 

Joshua needed to keep Jeonghan calm. He needed to focus on keeping his scent soothing, not on what might go wrong. 'Hot chocolate, home, lemons, Hannie, clean sheets, baths, music, Chan, tea.’ 

Steering them into the bathroom, he sat Jeonghan down on the toilet lid and popped his head out the door to call for Jun to bring tea. He went to get the bath things but Jeonghan pulled him back. "Joshuji," he swallowed, embarrassed, a light blush dusting his cheeks, "can you scent me again please?”

Joshua looked at him surprised, “of course, are you ok?”

"Needy," he murmured tilting his head back, "you lot don't usually see me like this, I’m-" he was cut off, a purr thrumming out of him the moment Joshua swiped his thumbs up Jeonghan's neck firmly, the pressure helping to ease some part of Jeonghan. 

Joshua rested his wrists behind Jeonghan's ears, linking his fingers behind his head, and bent down to kiss him gently, nosing down to his neck and dragging his chin against his pulse point. He slid his hands down to Jeonghan's neck as he kissed his collar bone. 

Jeonghan had his lip between his teeth and his eyes closed, holding his breath. Joshua looked up at him from under his lashes and muttered a soft "don’t hurt yourself" against his skin. 

Jeonghan purred loudly in response, his mouth opening in a tiny ‘o’ of pleasure. Joshua smirked, purrs were good. 

Joshua picked up Jeonghan’s hands and kissed his wrists, making Jeonghan whine at the loss of pressure at his neck. 

"Can I run the bath now?" He asked, moving back up to nose at Jeonghan's scent gland, satisfied that the omega was as thoroughly scented as was possible in a bathroom in 5 minutes. 

Jeonghan hesitated, opening his eyes and looking at him. After several attempts, all resulting in a deepening blush on the usually confident omega, Jeonghan, in a sweet yet shaky voice, asked, "Can I scent you?” 

His voice was walking the edge of omega-space and Joshua tried his best to not react to it. Even though Jeonghan was still in preheat and should be nowhere near it. 

Joshua tilted his neck to expose his throat, keeping eye contact with him, sitting down on the floor and beckoning him closer. 

Jeonghan scrambled off the toilet lid onto Joshua’s lap, nosing around his throat until _his_ scent glands were wet with scent. He rubbed his throat against one of them quickly and then lapped at it, nibbling, nipping and sucking until someone coughed slightly. 

“Hannie-hyung?” Wonwoo was standing in the doorway, sounding amused. 

Jeonghan immediately tried to pull back, blushing but still purring, smelling like a perfect blend of the two of them; but Joshua held onto him tightly, the scenting having turned his head. 

Wonwoo waved at them, laughing, “Don’t stop on my account." 

Jeonghan ducked back into Joshua’s neck, just breathing him in this time and Joshua ran the insides of his wrists over Jeonghan’s back and nape of his neck until eventually the two of them were satisfied and Jeonghan’s purr was echoing around the room. 

“I’m going to run the bath, okay? You sit back up there,” Joshua pushed Jeonghan back up onto the toilet lid and went over to start the bath, “Where’s Jun?” he asked Wonwoo. 

Handing Jeonghan his tea, Wonwoo said, “He said that Jeonghan wanted an omega present the entire time. He’s just down the hall if we need him." 

He closed the door and leaned against the counter beside Jeonghan. "Cramps?” He asked softly, and Jeonghan tipped his head back to look up at him. 

“Just the tails of them."

“Has your slick dropped yet?” Wonwoo asked and Jeonghan squirmed. 

“No, it always takes ages…” he sounded a little worried and Wonwoo was quick to nuzzle into his neck in reassurance. 

“That’s fine, don’t worry, it’ll come when it’s ready ok?” 

“Do you want me to stay, Jeonghan? Or can I go do some prep things?” Joshua asked from the nearly full bath. 

Jeonghan shook his head “You can go, I’ll see you later?”

“Of course. Just shout if you want me,” Joshua smiled softly. 

“Can you send in Seungkwan?” Wonwoo asked, and Joshua nodded, slipping out the door. But before the door closed behind him, Jeonghan whined in distress, blushing darkly. 

Joshua paused and turned back to them, “Han?”

Jeonghan leaned into Wonwoo, “It’s ok, go on,” even as he whined, scent screaming _don’t go please don’t go_ , and Wonwoo took the mug off him, set it on the counter, and leaned in to rub their throats together, scenting him quickly. He pulled back. Jeonghan was blinking slowly. Wonwoo nosed at both of Jeonghan’s wrists, scenting him further until Jeonghan relaxed, and Joshua went to get Seungkwan, shaking his head. 

  
  
“What scared you earlier?” Wonwoo asked, holding Jeonghan’s hands as he stepped into the bath and slowly sat down, letting his body acclimatise to the temperature. He pulled over the bathroom stool and sat down next to the taps. 

“I’m different in heat-” Jeonghan sunk back into the bubbles, tension easing out of his shoulders, “-messy, needy, really submissive. Like, I’ll sub to you and Seungkwan. But, omegas aren’t supposed to sub to omegas. I’m different, and it’s going to weird people out, and -” he broke off as Seungkwan stepped in, sniffed, and went straight over to him, tilting his head up to kiss him quickly, one hand rubbing circles into his scent gland. 

“Hyung? Your scent is fear spiking again. What’s wrong?” Seungkwan asked when he pulled back, Jeonghan blinking dazedly at him, and he turned to Wonwoo expectantly, "Hyung?”

“Worried that we won’t like his heat self,” Wonwoo explained, dropping a hand into the bath, and taking Jeonghan’s hand in his. “We all know that our mating cycles do weird things to our personalities, and nobody is going to judge you for anything. Joshua and Jun are prepared okay? That’s why they do the pre-heat quiz, so they can be ready for anything. I’d love it if you submitted to us. All it means is we have to take extra care of you, ok? We expect you to be needy, you’re in heat. And good sex is always messy. Feel free to cry too. Kwannie and I will make sure that everyone knows what type of tears they are."

“It’s just all very scary,” Jeonghan shivered, his scent screaming guilty _guilty_ **_guilty_** and Seungkwan kissed him again gently. 

“Don’t be scared, everyone loves you, and if anyone does anything, Hyung and I will just kick them all out,” Seungkwan said, settling on the side of the bath and trailing his hand through Jeonghan’s hair, scratching at his scalp and wringing a tiny purr from Jeonghan. 

“We can take care of you by ourselves if we need to ok? Especially if you sub for us, so don’t worry, Hyung-” Wonwoo was cut off by a whine of discomfort, “-What is it?”

“It doesn’t matter…”

“Hyung,” there the whine was again, “if it’s making you upset we can stop, just tell us what it is” Seungkwan looked at Wonwoo, eyes wide, Joshua hadn’t mentioned anything that would upset him. 

“Hyung, don’t, not when I’m in heat, please, it's too much responsibility, don’t” he stuttered out, chin tucked, looking at his feet. The two other omegas smiled in relief, that made sense. The last thing that an omega in heat wanted was to have to take care of someone, they were at their most needy, most vulnerable, most dependent. Weird that Joshua hadn’t mentioned it. 

“Ok, baby, we won’t call you _Hyung_ ok? Just for your heat, right?” Wonwoo confirmed with a smile, and Jeonghan nodded. 

“Okay then Jeonghan-ah, I’m just going to go get some water, Seungkwan isn’t going anywhere. I’ll be back in a few moments,” Wonwoo said as he stood up. 

Seungkwan leaned down to scent Jeonghan before the omega could whine, but even still. His scent made it hard for Wonwoo to leave the room in good conscience. 

Wonwoo leaned against the closed bathroom door, trying to convince himself that Jeonghan was fine, he’d seen that he was fine, Seungkwan was there with him. It took a moment or two but then he went into the kitchen, he did need to get a jug of water, but he also wanted to tell the pack not to call Jeonghan _Hyung_. As they all were wont to do. And ask Joshua what the hell was going on. 

  
  


“Hey guys,” Wonwoo leaned against the door into the living room and the betas all looked up at him. 

“Is Jeonghan alright?”

“Is hyung ok?”

“Everything good?”

“Yeah, yeah, all good. Just came to say not to call Jeonghan _‘Hyung’_. Anything else. It has too much responsibility associated with it, and the last thing we want is to push him out of a heat headspace whenever he gets there. So, keep to his name, preferably diminutives, omega, and baby, darling, sweetie, honey, whatever you feel, just not Hyung or anything like that alright?”

“He never said anything like that. He also didn’t mention that he gets separation anxiety in heat, I’ve never heard him whine like that?” Joshua was frowning and Jun rubbed his shoulders. 

Wonwoo paused. That wasn’t good. "He smells like guilt. I thought it was because he was embarrassed that his heats made him super subby and needy but maybe he just didn’t tell you things?”

Jun sighed, “He didn’t tell us that either."

“Shit. I’ll try to keep you updated with anything new. I’ll go tell the alphas." Wonwoo shook his head lightly, surprises during a heat were never good news. He closed the door and went up to the other dorm to tell them the same things. 

“Is it weird?” Chan asked immediately and Wonwoo shook his head. 

“No, it's well it's like-” he gestured, “-you know subspace right? Like the concept?” he waited for their maknae to nod before continuing, “Well, heat headspace is kinda like that, it just depends on the person. Jeonghan, from what he’s just said, is heavily in the submissive end of it. He'll be more submissive than I am. By the looks of it, Seungkwan and I could get him through his heat, he’ll sub for us,” here there was an intake of breath, “so calling him ‘Hyung’ is saying ‘You can’t let go. You have to take care of us’. It’ll drag him back and make it harder for him to relax into heat. It doesn’t make a difference to me when I’m in heat, and Seungkwan doesn’t really get called Hyung so he doesn’t know, but … well, that’s about it.” 

“Ok, thanks,” Chan said nodding, inwardly thinking that this would be hard. He was already worried about how Jeonghan would react to him, and this just added worry onto his pile. 

Mingyu and Seungcheol were reevaluating, having expected Jeonghan to be more like Seungkwan, to be the type to fight, to push back, not because he didn’t want them there, but because the control would be too hard to give up, but this? That slipping into the headspace was so easy that he was scared of it? It would require a much gentler approach, anything too harsh could have him drop and that was the last thing they needed. 

When Wonwoo got back to the bathroom, he picked up on the unease before he even opened the door. Seungkwan’s relieved, “Hyung” when Wonwoo opened the door, was confirmation enough. 

“What’s up, babies?” he crossed the room, putting down the water and sitting down on the stool beside the bath. 

“Thought you’d been kidnapped by the Hyungs,” Seungkwan laughed and Jeonghan smiled tightly. 

“Nonu? Someone has gone through all this with Channie, Mingyu and Cheolie right?” Jeonghan’s voice was high and sweeter than usual. 

“Hm? Of course. We’ve done this before, remember? For my last two heats and Seungkwan’s last three. They know what they’re doing-”

“Yes, but but it's _alphas_ and _Cheol_ and _Chan_ and and and..." 

“Hey hey hey, don’t work yourself up again, Hannie-ya,” Seungkwan finished with his hair, and rested his hands on Jeonghan’s neck, squeezing gently. Jeonghan shuddered under his palms, sagging back against him. "Seungcheol-hyung isn’t going to do anything to hurt you. He couldn’t. And Chan, maybe he’ll find it a bit weird at first, but we all agreed that we didn’t want this to be a family pack, so he’ll be fine."

“But _alphas?”_ Jeonghan whispered and Wonwoo tilted his head up with a finger under his chin. 

“Hannie-ya, have you ever spent a heat with an alpha?” Wonwoo tried to use his Hyung-voice, and by the looks of it, how Jeonghan’s eyes glazed over a little before snapping back to clarity, it worked. 

“ _No_ ,” his voice climbed, “I submit so easily the service always gave me betas, or sometimes other omegas…” he trailed off, wrapping his arms around his knees. 

“Right, well, it’s not so much different,” Wonwoo looked at Seungkwan quickly, someone needed to tell Joshua and the alphas. This was an unpleasant surprise. "You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, but the only differences are scent really, and of course, if you have sex with them, they have a knot. You don’t have to. The two of us and Jihoon-hyung and Minghao could spend your heat with you? Or just me, or just Kwannie, or just Minghao…”

“I said I’d spend this one with the pack,” Jeonghan was quiet, but his voice was sure, “not because I need it, because I want it."

“Hyung,” Seungkwan was looking at Wonwoo, “Do you think we could get Seungcheol-hyung up to scent Jeonghan and talk to him?”

“We could, but he’s not fully in heat yet, and we don’t want to push it fast…”

“Not to scent then, just to talk?”

Wonwoo paused, and then nodded, “you go get him. We’re not going anywhere.”

Seungkwan smiled, “back in a bit, Hannie,” and closed the door behind him, to the high-pitched whine from Jeonghan. Seungkwan leaned against the wall. He knew Wonwoo had him. Even as he stood there he could hear Wonwoo soothing him and the whine quietened down, but it was really hard to leave a whine like that. 

“‘m sorry,” Jeonghan whispered, and Wonwoo shook his head. 

“It’s ok. You should have mentioned it but it’s ok."

“Kiss?”

Wonwoo laughed and tilted Jeonghan’s head up to catch his lips in a kiss. 

They were so lost in each other that they didn’t hear the door, until Seungkwan coughed, peeking through the door. Wonwoo pulled back slowly, soothing Jeonghan with a thumb at his lips as he went. 

“Right, Alpha is here. Ready?” Seungkwan asked, and Wonwoo nodded. 

Seungcheol stepped in, projecting an aura of complete serenity, “Hey guys, everything ok?”

Jeonghan had his head ducked against Wonwoo, so Wonwoo answered, “Well, Jeonghannie hasn’t spent a heat with an alpha before and he just wanted a little reassurance…”

Seungcheol nodded, Seungkwan had told him this, it had surprised him, it had surprised them all. Joshua was spitting nails. "Hey, Han, it’s ok-”

“Can I have a kiss?” Jeonghan interrupted quietly when Seungcheol stopped by the sink. 

Wonwoo opened his mouth, but Seungcheol beat him to it. "I don’t think that’s a good idea baby, I don’t want to bring on this heat any faster than it wants to go."

Biting his lip, and wrapping his arms tighter around his knees, Jeonghan stared down into the bubbles, a small keen escaping his lips at Seungcheol’s response. Wonwoo kissed his head, trying to help, and Seungcheol winced. 

“What are you worried about?” Seungcheol asked. 

There was silence, and then, “what if you, what if you don’t fit?”

Wonwoo smiled into Jeonghan’s hair, it was such a heat question, he wondered how close Jeonghan was to heat-space already. He sounded a lot less sure of himself than he usually did.

Seungcheol bit his lip quickly and said, “well then I don’t fit sweetheart; you know you don’t need a knot if you don’t want one, and if you want one, there are the other alphas, and between the three of you omegas, I’m sure we can find a toy…” he trailed off blushing and Jeonghan nodded absently. 

“What if we, what if we don’t, if your alpha doesn’t, doesn’t you know, like my omega?”

“Oh, baby-” Seungcheol paused, “That’s not going to happen. My alpha loves your omega-”

“Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be”

“About everything?”

“I’d never lie to you Jeonghan.”

“What if everyone doesn’t get on?” Jeonghan whispered and Wonwoo had to throw his arm out to physically stop Seungcheol from coming close enough to nuzzle Jeonghan in reassurance, doing it himself until he was reassured that the omega was okay. 

“We all get on baby, we’ve done this a few times yeah? And everybody loves you-”

“Alpha, I’m scared.”

Jeonghan’s voice was tiny and Seungcheol’s heart ached. "Hannie, Han, look at me." Jeonghan’s head snapped up so fast Seungcheol had to double-check he hadn’t Ordered him. "We’re gonna take care of you. You’re going to enjoy this heat just like you planned. I love you, we all love you, nothing bad is going to happen."

Joshua peeked his head in and everyone turned to look at him. "Hey.”

Jeonghan choked on a sob and Wonwoo quickly turned back to him, shushing him softly and kissing his hair. "Hey baby, it's ok, nothing bad is going to happen."

“But, but, but alpha doesn’t want me,” Jeonghan sobbed into his knees and Seungcheol looked at the others helplessly. 

“No, baby, that’s not it at all, we don’t want to rush this heat, it won’t feel good if we do that, look he’s right there, alpha isn’t going anywhere." Wonwoo was cooing at him now and Seungcheol looked at Jeonghan with worry in his eyes. 

“Wonwoo? How close is he?” Joshua asked, stepping in and closing the door behind him. 

“Not close enough Hyung, slick hasn’t dropped and he’s still cramping."

“Shit. Ok. Alpha?” Joshua snapped Seungcheol out of the alpha’s ‘omega sad, must fix’ mindset, he’d already taken a step towards the bath. 

Seungcheol focused on Joshua's words, “Yeah?” He tilted his head. 

“Can we just try something? If you scent me, will it be diluted enough?”

“We can try,” Wonwoo nodded, coping on to Joshua’s plan. Jeonghan looked up at them with wide eyes, wide eyes that were starting to take on a blue tinge. He was leaning into Wonwoo now, face half-hidden by his mustard jumper. 

Seungcheol lightly scented Joshua, melding their scents at his glands. Joshua waited a few moments for them to properly blend, and then moved and knelt beside the tub. 

Jeonghan smushed his face against Joshua’s collarbone and gulped in lungfuls of the steady blend of Joshua’s soothing _I know what I’m doing, I have you_ scent and Seungcheol’s stronger, _Trust me, we love you, you’re doing great_ scent. Joshua wrapped his arms around him, hands on the backs of his shoulder blades, murmuring soothing nothings and trying to calm them both. 

When the sobs petered out, Jeonghan sagged back against Wonwoo. "Hate heats."

Joshua was leaning back against Seungcheol now, and they both stiffened. He should have _said_ these things! Even though they had all gathered that Jeonghan wasn’t a big fan of heats, the way he’d postponed sharing them with the pack for so long had been a big indicator, hearing it like this was another thing. Normally, omegas enjoyed them, it was a bonding time among packs, a few days of pampering, of love and attention and skin ship, and yeah, sure, sex, but also being fed, and coddled and catered to. Everyone assumed that would be right up Jeonghan’s alley. 

“I know love, I know, but I have you. Seungkwan and I have you. Nothing bad is going to happen. I won’t let it." Wonwoo’s voice was gentle but firm. Nobody was getting past him without a fight. He looked up at Joshua and Seungcheol with a steely determination. They were reminded that omegas protected what they perceived to be theirs like a dragon with its hoard. Nobody would be touching Jeonghan if Wonwoo or Seungkwan decided they shouldn’t. 

Joshua grumbled lightly into Seungcheol’s jumper, he was going to give Jeonghan such a talking to when this was over, he’d never hide anything from him again, he felt like such a poor beta. He should have noticed Jeonghan was holding back, he should have pushed. Seungcheol wrapped his arms around him. 

“It’s not your fault,” Seungcheol muttered quietly into Joshua’s ear. 

This was going to be fun. 


	3. Heat Hits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What delights will the first wave of Jeonghan’s heat bring? The members are asking the same questions.
> 
> Well. We all know it's gonna bring sex, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the sex begins.

It was not fun. 

Jeonghan had sunk into omega-space within five minutes of his body tipping fully into heat, and that had been… terrifying to put it mildly. Normally omegas slipped into space after a knot, or towards the end of their heat, but Jeonghan’s eyes went bright blue pretty quickly, and he responded solely to ‘Omega’ for about a half-hour until ‘Jeonghan’ started to register again. Seungkwan had been worried, nobody had even mentioned it as a possibility, but Wonwoo just took it in his stride, and they did their best. 

Jun had been the first non-omega into the bedroom, and Jeonghan had nearly cried trying to get him to come over and mark him up. Jun, smiling and unsurprised, had done exactly that: licking Jeonghan's throat a few times, kittenish licks, before sinking his teeth in and leaving a mark that would probably take a week to fade. That had been Jeonghan’s first orgasm of the heat, and he’d gone all mellow and liquidy afterwards, insisting the three of them have a nap with him. Seungkwan had smiled then. Maybe it would be normal from then on?

Jeonghan had woken them all up just a half-hour later, crying in pain, whining, begging; calling for Wonwoo, for Seungkwan, for anyone. Jun had slipped out, sending Minghao in to replace him and promising to have Seungcheol up in about an hour. That set Jeonghan off again, the whine that ripped itself from his throat the minute Jun stepped outside the room was heart-wrenching and took several minutes of kissing and scenting to soothe it away. 

*

Seungkwan had won their thumb wrestle to be the first to stretch Jeonghan, and so he kissed down Jeonghan’s belly while Wonwoo ran the insides of his wrists all over him and licked into his mouth possessively. Minghao hummed at them all from the door, waiting patiently. 

“Hao-hao, get over here,” Wonwoo had called, and Minghao slipped onto the bed, kissing Jeonghan hello and holding his hands tightly. 

“Hey sweetheart, Joshua said you’re being so good for everyone, how are you feeling?”

Jeonghan just blinked at him, stretching up, searching for more kisses and Minghao smiled, kissing him softly. 

Seungkwan chose that moment to add a fourth finger and curl them slightly causing Jeonghan to scream into the kiss. Wonwoo put a little pressure on his shoulders while Seungkwan kept him from rearing up off the bed with a hand across his hips. 

Jeonghan was drenched, his slick had dropped just as his heat had fully hit, and the combination of kisses and praise and gentle touches only increased its volume. Seungkwan didn’t mind, it was a really good sign, Jeonghan was comfortable, he was happy, he was aroused; all goals. Plus omega slick tasted good. It just did. Like a liquid version of their scents, and Jeonghan’s scent was a mix of strawberries and lemons, so his slick… Very tasty. 

  
  


Seungkwan worked him through two orgasms with his fingers, tongue and mouth, before Minghao tugged him away. He slinked down to replace him as Seungkwan kissed Jeonghan, feeding him his taste. The omegas moaned and Wonwoo bent his head to kiss them both, licking slick from their mouths confidently. Minghao staring at the three of them, hands hooked under Jeonghan’s thighs. Heat had relaxed his muscles and the combination of everyone’s soothing but dominant scents was enabling Jeonghan to spread his legs wider than he would normally be able to. 

Eventually, Jeonghan started to get antsy, squirming and begging, “Beta please please one more, please-” Minghao dragged his eyes away from Seungkwan’s glistening face and Wonwoo’s smirk and Jeonghan’s blown eyes, to down where Jeonghan was flushed, wet and pink. 

“Ok omega-mine, one more and then we’ll see how you feel, okay?” Minghao said, thumbs running up and down the crease of Jeonghan’s hips, massaging slick into his skin. 

Jeonghan wriggled closer to Minghao “... empty, can you? Beta? In? Beta?” Jeonghan tried hard to articulate what he wanted but he couldn’t get the words out and whined loudly, frustrated at himself. He looked up at Wonwoo desperately and Wonwoo soothed him, thumb rubbing along the seam of his lips gently. 

Wonwoo looked straight at Minghao, a smirk playing at his lips and Minghao was already blushing, “Come on Hao-Hao, you heard the omega, get inside him, fill him up, give him what he wants.”

Minghao’s hands shook slightly, and he leaned up to messily kiss Jeonghan, the omega reaching up to pull him closer. 

Pulling back, Minghao untied his robe and thanked the fact that every single one of them was on contraceptive shots. He scooped up some of the slick oozing from Jeonghan’s fluttering entrance and coated himself in it, slipping two and then three fingers into Jeonghan and pumping them gently until Wonwoo coughed and he looked back up at Jeonghan’s face. 

The omega was biting down hard on his lip and holding his breath, staring down at Minghao with wide eyes. Seungkwan was whispering in his ear and holding his hand tightly and Wonwoo was purring quietly. 

Minghao didn’t think Jeonghan could look anymore wrecked, but somehow, once he was seated inside the warm, tight heat of him, the tears started rolling down his cheeks and his mouth hung open, panting heavily. 

“Such a good omega, so perfect, so sweet,” Minghao was barely moving, grinding tightly into Jeonghan, and the omega was shivering, grasping weakly at Minghao’s arms. Minghao leaned down to lave around his collarbones and after a while, sunk his teeth underneath one of the ridges. 

Jeonghan arched fully up off the bed, mouth open in a silent scream, scent sweetening to a sickening intensity before relaxing back onto the mattress, dead weight, lips cured in a smile. 

Minghao pushed in deeply one more time, filling Jeonghan up to the omega’s happy mewls and grabby hands and quiet repetition of “Hao-Hao” and “Beta”. 

  
  


Eventually, Minghao had to pull out, kissing all over Jeonghan’s face as the omega’s eyes squeezed shut again, the heat still not sated. Seungcheol chose that moment to knock gently on the door and Wonwoo wriggled himself out from under Jeonghan’s head and slipped off the bed to go talk to him. 

“Wonwoo-ya, Omega, please please please it hurts, it hurts it  _ hurts- _ ” Jeonghan pleaded, tears running down his face and hands gripping Seungkwan’s tightly. “Please,” he sobbed brokenly as if Minghao hadn’t just wrung one intense orgasm out of him. Seungkwan cooed at him and pulled him up onto his scent gland, sometimes that helped with heat ache, but Jeonghan just sobbed and shook against him. 

“Baby I know it hurts, we’re going to try and get it sorted in a second ok? Alpha is nearly here, I promise he’ll help. And then you can sleep. How does that sound?”

Jeonghan stopped sobbing long enough to whisper, “sleepy” and “Alpha” and “sore” and Seungkwan nodded. 

“Yes, Alpha will help and then you can sleep, baby. Now, sit up for me, I’m just going to clean you up a bit and wipe your back a little ok? It’ll feel nice,” Seungcheol had brought up some wet towels and Minghao brought them in; Wonwoo was reading Seungcheol the riot act. 

Jeonghan sat up immediately and Minghao handed him a water bottle, “Drink some water for me,” but was quickly reminded how literal Jeonghan was currently taking everything, “ok, stop, only drink as much as you need ok?”

Seungkwan had cleaned up the mess of slick and cum and was trying to cool Jeonghan down with cold towels. Jeonghan moaned a little at the feeling. 

“You like that, Jeonghannie?” Seungkwan laughed, kissing his shoulder, but Jeonghan didn’t react. “Omega? Is that nice?” Jeonghan nodded and handed the water bottle back to Minghao with a smile. Seungkwan sighed, back to square one.

“Hot, itchy, tight,” Jeonghan managed once Seungkwan finished with the pseudo-bath and wrapped his arms around him. 

“Alpha will be in in a second."

“Kwannie, you ready?” Wonwoo called from the door and Seungkwan nodded. 

“Ok. Omega?” When Jeonghan looked at him properly Seungkwan continued, “I’m going to pop out for a bit alright? Alpha will be in in a second. Be good for him,” he added and kissed Jeonghan sweetly, before shifting Jeonghan into Minghao’s arms and sliding off the bed. 

Seungkwan slipped past Wonwoo and out into the hall, leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed, trying to block out the whines coming from the bedroom. He could hear Minghao singing quietly and feel the effects of the calming pheromones he was trying to calm Jeonghan with, but it was so hard to hear Jeonghan cry out as if they’d never return. They had no idea how to properly deal with this level of separation anxiety. If only he’d have  _ told _ someone beforehand. This heat was certainly one for the books. 

Jun came up to him and tugged him off the wall into a loose hug, asking, “Are you okay?” He wrapped Seungkwan in soothing pheromones and nuzzled against his cheek. "I know this is hard on you.” 

Seungkwan slumped into him, eventually managing a muttered “Hungry, I’m exhausted.”

Jun laughed, “We can fix that, come on, let’s get you fed. By the sound of it, you’re gonna need it." 

  
  


Back in the bedroom, Minghao was sitting up behind Jeonghan, kissing his scent gland and singing, trying to quiet his whines. Jeonghan’s eyes were wide open, staring at Seungcheol and Wonwoo in the doorway. 

But as Wonwoo showed no inclination to let Seungcheol in any time soon, Jeonghan’s whines grew more desperate by the second. He started to incorporate keens and tears and a quiet high pitched chant of ‘please please hurts alpha,’ in an attempt to cajole someone into paying him more attention. Seungcheol leaned in to scent Wonwoo. "It’s going to be okay." He pulled away and Wonwoo chased him to kiss him. 

“I know, it’s just, I really don’t-”

“Nothing is going to go wrong. Now come on," Seungcheol soothed and eventually, Wonwoo let him in. 

“Hey omega, how are you feeling?” Seungcheol cooed as he stepped closer to the bed, untying his robe and letting it hang open. 

“Sore, hot, alpha~” Jeonghan’s whine was cut off as Seungcheol knelt onto the bed and kissed him. 

Jeonghan’s scent immediately turned happy and Wonwoo smirked at Minghao. Satisfaction at last. Jeonghan gripped tightly onto Seungcheol’s shoulders, whimpering into the kiss and when Seungcheol eventually broke it, even alphas had to breathe, Jeonghan chased his lips blindly. 

Seungcheol was unbelievably gentle. Not that he hadn’t been gentle with the other two omegas, but the way Jeonghan was acting just screamed ‘slow down’, ‘be careful’, ‘I’ll break’. So even though Seungcheol  _ knew _ that the omegas had stretched Jeonghan properly, that Minghao had already been inside of him, he spent about ten minutes doing the same, just to be extra thorough, to sate his instincts. Minghao and Wonwoo kissed Jeonghan, distracting him, and between the three of them, they managed to coax another orgasm out of him before Seungcheol was finished with the prep. 

Extra cautious, Jeonghan had _never_ been with an alpha, Seungcheol went as slow as was comfortable for both of them, but by the time he was fully seated in Jeonghan, the omega was crying. Seungcheol froze, but Wonwoo was quick to reassure him they weren’t tears of pain or sadness, “You’d scent that, Alpha, he’s just overwhelmed and happy,” Wonwoo nuzzled into Seungcheol’s scent gland and hooked his chin on Seungcheol’s shoulder. 

“’m ok, Alpha,” Jeonghan whispered eventually as Minghao kissed away his tears, and Seungcheol started to move gently. 

Seungcheol was hitting his sweet spot and Jeonghan was letting out a constant stream of tiny ‘ah ah ah ah’ noises, eyes screwed up tightly at the sheer size of him. Minghao rubbed circles on his cheeks and trailed fingers across his lips. Jeonghan mouthing at his fingertips enough that after a moment, Minghao slipped two into his mouth, stroking his tongue gently. Seungcheol snapped his hips harder at that and his knot started to swell. 

He managed to keep going for a moment or two before it became too big to pull out and he ground deeply into Jeonghan, the omega’s scent screaming  _ mine mine mine _ and Seungcheol folded over him, nosing into his scent gland and biting it deeply. 

Minghao had tugged his fingers free once Seungcheol’s knot locked in place, and Jeonghan bit down harshly on Seungcheol’s shoulder, clinging to the alpha with all four limbs and coming for the sixth time. 

Once Seungcheol’s knot settled down, his release shooting deeply inside Jeonghan now and then and making his eyes roll back in his head; Minghao slipped out for some washcloths. Wonwoo expected the painful whine that had Jeonghan crying by the time the door was closed behind the beta, even through the intense haze of pleasure still coursing through his body. Seungcheol freaked, running hands over him and looking at his face carefully, worried that he’d hurt him, but Wonwoo just kissed Jeonghan and petted his scent glands, whispering words of reassurance between each tiny peck. 

“Minghao has just gone to get some towels baby, he’ll be back in a second, you’re ok, I have you, Alpha has you, we’re not going anywhere.” Eventually the whine petered out and Jeonghan slumped against the mattress, exhausted. 

Wonwoo helped the two of them turn so Jeonghan could cuddle against Seungcheol’s chest, the alpha rumbling quietly. The knot could take up to an hour to shrink enough to slip out, and after that Jeonghan should be able to get a few hours of sleep before the next wave hits. Right now? Seungcheol was lavishing praise upon the omega, telling him how good he was, how well he’d done, how perfect he was, and Jeonghan was just purring and cooing back at him, the two of them wrapped in an intense feedback bubble. 

Wonwoo was reluctant to leave Jeonghan without another omega, but Seungkwan was napping and he was starving. He hovered at the door, scent screaming doubt until Seungcheol looked up at him softly. 

“Wonwoo-ya, it’s ok, Jun will be in in a minute with some food for Hannie-ya and then we’re both going to have a nap, and Minghao will be back in a second. Go eat and you can come back and sleep here if you feel the need to. Nobody is going to do anything else until one of you is here anyway, you made us promise that," The alpha’s voice was reassuring, calming and Wonwoo nodded slowly. 

“Hannie-ya? Do you mind if I leave you for a bit? Jun-ah and Minghao-ya will be in in a second,” Wonwoo asked carefully. 

It took Jeonghan a little while, the knot had grounded the heat for a while and he’d curiously come to the very top of omega-space; his eyes were still blue, but not as bright. He leaned against Seungcheol’s chest for a moment or two before nodding. "It’s ok, Alpha won’t hurt me."

“I know he won’t, love, but if you need anything you shout ok? We’ll hear you. Anything at all, ok?”

But no sooner had Wonwoo stepped out of the door than Jeonghan started crying, whining louder than he had ever done and with an ear-splitting shrillness that screamed  _ they’ve left me they’re never coming back I can’t.  _ Wonwoo burst back through the door, even though he knew. He knew Jeonghan was fine. He knew the omega was uninjured, that it was unconscious, that he wasn’t hurt or harmed, he still practically sprinted over to the bed and hugged him tight to his chest, cooing and cooing, tears dripping down his face and into Jeonghan’s hair until the whine faded out, and Wonwoo could relax. 

Seungcheol wrapped his arms around the two of them tightly, his heart was still racing, and Wonwoo was crying properly now. 

“I’m sorry Nonu,” Jeonghan whispered, tears coating his voice and Wonwoo nodded, pulling back to check his face, Jeonghan’s eyes had gone luminous blue again. 

“Ok Omega, I’m not leaving you, just try to sleep for me please?”

Jeonghan nodded and closed his eyes, turning back to face Seungcheol’s chest. Wonwoo leaned his forehead against the back of Jeonghan’s head and just tried to breathe. 

Minghao came back in, red in the face, “Is everything okay?!”

Seungcheol shrugged, “Wonwoo went to leave the room, Jeonghan reacted.”

“Ah shit-” Minghao dragged his hand over his face, “-Wonwoo-hyung? Do you want food or anything?”

“I’m starving and I want to sleep, it’s after 5 am. Tell me Seungkwan is sleeping?” Wonwoo begged, not moving. 

“He fell asleep the minute he finished eating. Hannie looks sleepy, you can eat here, I’ll get you something,” he turned to move but Wonwoo practically shouted at him. 

“Please don’t! I can’t take another whine right now, just call someone," tears loud in his voice. This heat was taxing on more than just Jeonghan. 

Minghao halted mid-movement but nodded, coming over to the bed with the washcloths he’d left the room for, and grabbing a phone off the bedside table. He thought it was Seungkwan’s, but it was unlocked; location locking was so handy. 

“Jihoon-hyung?”

Wonwoo took the pile of washcloths and put them on the other bedside table. They’d wait till Seungcheol’s knot went down to do a big clean up. He snuggled closer to the tied pair, reaching over Jeonghan to hold onto Seungcheol’s hip. Seungcheol rumbled a little louder, the familiar sound calming the remainder of Wonwoo’s blind panic. 

“Is he asleep?” Seungcheol whispered, nodding at Jeonghan and Wonwoo shrugged. 

“I told him to, but I didn’t mean for him to Obey it. This heat is so stressy, Hyung,” Wonwoo tried hard to contain his own whine but it slipped out anyway and Minghao was over in a flash, knuckles rubbing down his spine and fingers gently palpitating his mating gland. Wonwoo went lax and liquidy, Minghao’s talented hands coaxing out a purr. 

“Wonwoo-hyung, we’re here to help, don’t take it all on yourself. Jihoon is bringing up some food for you and Jeonghan whenever he wakes up." 

  
  
  


After eating, Jeonghan and Wonwoo slept soundly, tangled together. Wonwoo wrapped around Jeonghan tightly, a barrier between him and the door. Seungcheol crept out when Jeonghan was asleep and thankfully it hadn’t woken him up, he’d just whined a tiny bit but Wonwoo had just groomed him absently, and he’d calmed. 

They slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a   
> [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.qa/MurderRose) now, which is wild.


	4. Heat Hits Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deeper in heat and deeper in his headspace, Jeonghan really proves that omegas are cats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this my favourite chapter? Maybe.

Seungkwan woke up and came in to snuggle with them before either of the elder omegas woke up. They had given the first wave a proper kick in the ass so it was nearing noon by the time Jeonghan started to stir, Wonwoo waking up before him automatically and pushing himself up to survey the room.

“Kwannie?” Wonwoo yawned at Seungkwan, who smiled back at him. 

“Morning, it’s nearly noon. Alpha crept out after you both fell asleep, I came in a few hours ago. How do you feel?” Seungkwan asked quietly, neither of them wanted to wake Jeonghan. 

“Rested. Do you think he’ll eat breakfast?”

“I don’t know, he’s waking up but his scent isn’t screaming heat and he isn’t really warm. Maybe?”

Jeonghan woke up slowly, eyes fluttering open and shut and kneading into Wonwoo’s chest lightly with his hands. Wonwoo thought for a moment that the heat had ended, which would have been a miracle, but then Jeonghan’s eyes opened fully and they were a bright electric blue. Wonwoo stroked his side slowly, fingers swirling around his hip for a while before resuming their path back up to his shoulder and down again. 

“...h-h-hyung?” Jeonghan’s voice was floaty and sugary, and he darted his tongue out to wet his lips. 

“No love, I’m Wonwoo, and Seungkwan is behind you,” Wonwoo corrected gently, but Jeonghan shook his head. 

“Hyung,” Jeonghan said, looking straight at Wonwoo. Wonwoo blinked several times, making eye contact with Seungkwan. He. He didn’t exactly know how to respond to that.

Eventually, he nodded, “If you want, love. Did you sleep well?”

“Soft, cosy,” Jeonghan yawned and Wonwoo just wanted to hide him from the world. 

He didn’t. He just smiled, “That’s good, do you want to eat something?”

“‘Nana?” Jeonghan asked and then pushed his head against Wonwoo’s chest, right over his heartbeat. 

Wonwoo was melting, he wrapped an arm around him carefully, nearly forgetting to answer, but Seungkwan jerked his head at him. "Of course you can have a banana, Seungkwan will get you one in a minute."

Jeonghan just purred against him, happy where he was, safe in Wonwoo’s arms, the room full of exclusively omegean scents, and still half asleep. 

Seungkwan nosed at Jeonghan’s nape softly before pulling back. "I’ll be back in a minute Hannie, don’t worry,” 

Seungkwan padded across the room silently and closed the door behind him. He was halfway down the hall, fist-pumping in success before he heard the whine. Much weaker, but just as plaintive. His heart sank. He made himself keep walking, bumping into Jun in the kitchen and hugging him tightly. 

Jun flailed a little before grabbing onto Seungkwan’s shoulders and staying upright. "Good morning, barely, how’s everything?”

“Jeonghan called Wonwoo  _ Hyung _ and he’s acting tiny, and he wants a banana. We both need breakfast too. His whines, Hyung, I don’t know how many more of them I can take, they’re starting to hurt to walk away from."

Jun took a moment to process all of that, tugging Seungkwan closer with one arm, and turning to pull out breakfast things with the other, flicking the switch on the rice and the kettle in quick succession. Seungkwan nuzzled into his scent gland gratefully, breathing in the  _ in-charge, capable beta _ scent of Jun. 

“Does he still smell like heat? Or post-heat?” Jun asked after a moment or two of silence. 

“He wasn’t very warm, but his eyes are electric blue?” Seungkwan shrugged and Jun nodded. 

“Right, well just keep an eye on it I suppose. Joshua is ready to throttle Jeonghan over not telling us anything properly. Every time someone leaves that room they have a new thing to write in the book. I swear to God. He slept for a long time though, Minghao and Seungcheol in quick succession is something we must remember.”

While he’d been talking, Jun had prepared a tray: a light breakfast for Wonwoo and Seungkwan and a banana for Jeonghan with a big pot of tea and some snack bars in case they needed them. 

“Right, we’re going to leave you three alone until you call for someone. Jihoon is ready wherever, send him a text or just shout. Mingyu is on standby for later on, and I’m always around if you need me."

“Where’s Joshua-hyung?” Seungkwan asked absently, finally pulling away from Jun to take the tray. 

“With Seungcheol-hyung upstairs somewhere I think."

“Thanks, Hyung, I better get back,” Seungkwan hovered and Jun smiled, stepping closed and kissing him gently, hand under his jaw to tilt him up. 

“You’re welcome, see you later.”

When Seungkwan had left the room, Jeonghan had had a delayed reaction, he was still half asleep, but Wonwoo had just rolled them over, and pressed Jeonghan down into the mattress with his entire weight. He’d quietened immediately, blinking up at him and Wonwoo had sighed with relief. 

“It’s ok Hannie, Seungkwan  **will** be back in a few minutes. None of us are going to abandon you okay?”

Jeonghan keened back in response and Wonwoo had to hold back a smirk. Oops. He hadn’t meant to trigger the next wave before Seungkwan had brought breakfast but… heat wants what heat wants!

“Do you think you can wait until you eat?”

Jeonghan nodded slowly, and Wonwoo rolled them back over, Jeonghan immediately pressing his ear to his heart again and twisting his fingers in Wonwoo’s top. 

  
  


That’s what Seungkwan returned to. The rising scent of heat and Jeonghan’s temperature, and Wonwoo cooing over Jeonghan, hands moving in steady motion over his back. 

“I bring food! And the weather forecast. It is raining. And freezing outside, so we’re not missing anything. There is no news on TV, and nobody has released any music. I think everyone else is asleep too, I only saw Jun-hyung. And he made breakfast!” Seungkwan performed, placing the tray on the bedside table and putting his hands on his hips like a superhero. 

Wonwoo rolled onto his back, bringing Jeonghan with him; he settled on his chest happily. "Ooo food and tea!”

“Nana?”

“Yep, here you go,” Seungkwan half-peeled the banana and handed it to Jeonghan, who fumbled for a moment, trying to find a way to listen to Wonwoo’s heart and eat his food, before Wonwoo tugged them both into a seated position, and Jeonghan slid down between Wonwoo’s legs until he had his ear on his chest again, and started happily munching on his banana, purring softly. 

Wonwoo smiled at him, bemused, before taking his plate off Seungkwan and tucking in. 

The silence didn’t last long. Jeonghan started keening once he finished his banana and Seungkwan handed him a half-filled cup of tea, encouraging him to drink it, he’d lost lots of fluids, and even though he’d swallowed down some hydration balls before he’d fallen asleep, more fluids were always good. 

That distracted him for a while, but then he really did need attention, squirming and keening and twisting against Wonwoo, alternating between sucking on his own fingers in an attempt to sate it and hiding his face against Wonwoo’s chest, until finally finally finally, Wonwoo and Seungkwan were finished eating. 

  
  


“What do you want, love?” Wonwoo crooned as Seungkwan moved everything over to the other side of the room. 

“Your fingers Hyung, please, they’re so long,” Jeonghan mumbled, mouthing at Wonwoo’s chest desperately. 

Wonwoo twisted Jeonghan fully around, so he was straddling his legs, and tugged his face upwards to kiss him. With his other hand, he walked it down Jeonghan’s body and without so much as a by your leave, tucked two fingers up into him. Jeonghan was dripping and he moaned into the kiss happily, purring as he started to bounce and rock. 

When Seungkwan came back from tidying up a bit, Wonwoo had worked up to four fingers and the omega was alternating between kissing Wonwoo and nipping at his lips. Seungkwan settled himself behind Jeonghan, and put a hand on his tummy, drawing circles and pressing down now and then. He hovered for a second, and just as Jeonghan sat down on Wonwoo’s fingers, Seungkwan sunk his teeth into Jeonghan’s shoulder. 

Jeonghan froze up. Froze up so much that Wonwoo batted at Seungkwan until he reluctantly released Jeonghan from his grip. 

“Hannie, Jeonghan-love, are you okay?”

“Bite?”

“Yes, Seungkwan-ah just bit you, was that okay?” One of Jeonghan’s favourite things had seemed to be being bitten, it was one of the few things he had mentioned to Jun and Joshua before his heat, so Wonwoo was at a loss as to what was wrong. 

“Oh-megas can bite?”

“Of course we can. You bit Alpha last night remember?” Wonwoo’s fingers were starting to go numb, Jeonghan was clenching so tightly. Seungkwan was still drawing circles on Jeonghan’s belly and Wonwoo reached up to thumb at his scent gland, ever so softly. 

“‘megas can bite ‘megas?” Jeonghan sounded lost, and his eyes kept darting between Wonwoo and the door as if someone was going to give out to him. 

Ah, that’s what it was. "Of course we can,” Wonwoo smiled reassuringly at him, “You can bite me if you want?”

All at once, Jeonghan relaxed, eyes lighting up. He tipped forward and mouthed impatiently at Wonwoo’s shoulder before worrying his teeth into the junction of his neck and shoulder. Wonwoo held back a wince and breathed through it. Jeonghan’s fangs were down and he wasn’t being gentle. 

Seungkwan went back to his bite, this time just sucking at it and licking at it, and Wonwoo curled his fingers until Jeonghan let go with a high pitched keen and promptly came. 

Wonwoo slipped his fingers out carefully and flexed his wrist a few times to get the circulation going again. 

Seungkwan took right over, slipping three fingers of his hand into Jeonghan before the omega had even properly recovered from his last orgasm. Jeonghan returned to the bite on Wonwoo’s shoulder, licking and sucking at it intently, and it didn’t take long at all for Seungkwan to work him up to another peak. 

“Oh, you’re so good Hannie, so good for us,” Wonwoo managed, and Seungkwan pressed his teeth back into the imprint on Jeonghan’s shoulder and Jeonghan toppled over the peak and slumped against Wonwoo, clinging to his shoulders. 

Wonwoo could feel Jeonghan’s tears through his shirt and he gathered him close, purring steadily and scenting him. Seungkwan wiped his hand clean with a wipe and then texted Jihoon. 

“Empty Hyung, ‘m too empty~” Jeonghan started moaning once his tears dried up, kneading Wonwoo’s chest again with increasingly frantic movements. Wonwoo and Seungkwan tried to soothe him with words of praise, their scents, offering their fingers or a toy, but Jeonghan kept shaking his head, whining and fussing. 

So when Jihoon came into the room there was a collective sigh of relief. As Wonwoo and Seungkwan relaxed, so did Jeonghan, although he was still begging for something to fill him up. 

Hanging his robe on the back of the door, Jihoon came over to the bed and sat down beside Wonwoo. "Hey, Angel, are you doing okay?”

Jeonghan shook his head sharply, turning and fixing his ear to Wonwoo’s heart again, “no, Hyung, empty, it hurts,” he was all red and pouty and Jihoon bit his lip, holding back a smile. 

“Well we can fix one of those things now,” Jihoon said quietly and Seungkwan broke into giggles. Wonwoo smirked and Jeonghan tried to move over onto Jihoon’s lap but his legs just wouldn’t work and he collapsed back against Wonwoo’s chest with a high whine of  _ help _ . His thighs were just done after all the bouncing he’d been getting up to. 

Seungkwan controlled himself and between the three of them, they moved Jeonghan over onto Jihoon’s lap. Jeonghan lost absolutely no time in sinking onto Jihoon with a long moan and a hissed, “full~”, and then just sitting there while Jihoon massaged his lower back and whispered in his ear. 

Wonwoo stood up and stretched, bending over into a forward fold and just hanging there for ten breaths before standing tall and yawning loudly. His legs had gone numb under the combined weights of Jeonghan and Seungkwan and now that he thought about it, he really needed the loo. He chanced a look at Jeonghan. He was curled into Jihoon, a pretty great achievement considering he was 14cm taller. Wonwoo decided to go for it, grabbing a robe and sneaking out with barely a noise he hightailed it to the bathroom. 

The whine came anyway and Wonwoo felt ridiculous for trying to outrun it. He clutched at his chest and leaned on the bathroom door, panting and trying to clear his head. Jeonghan was fine for God’s sake. Jihoon had him, Seungkwan had him, Jun would come running if they called and he needed to use the toilet. That was hardly a frivolous reason to ‘abandon’ the omega. 

In the bedroom, Jihoon clucked sharply at Jeonghan the minute he started to whine at Wonwoo’s absence. "Jeonghan-ah. You know better. Wonwoo-ya will be back in a little while. Nobody is going anywhere."

Jeonghan quieted and nosed into Jihoon’s neck in apology. Jihoon hummed at him until Jeonghan relaxed fully again. 

“Ok Angel, do you want me to move or do you just want to sit there? Either is ok."

“Stay, it’s nice,” Jeonghan mumbled and Jihoon hummed back at him soothingly, rubbing his wrist along the back of his shoulders, gently scenting him. "Comfy, Hyung,” Jeonghan said and then his tongue darted out to lick at Jihoon’s scent gland. 

Jihoon shuddered and Jeonghan did it again. And again. He was either playing or just licking like a snake but either way, if he kept it up Jihoon was going to have to move. 

Seungkwan ran his hand down the full length of Jeonghan’s spine causing him to arch under it, “Tickles-”

“I know it does, you’re tickling Jihoon-hyung with your tongue. If you don’t want him to move, stop that.”

“But…”

“But what Hannie?” Seungkwan asked as he curled himself up against Jihoon’s side. 

Jeonghan shrugged and lay his head back down on Jihoon’s shoulder, keeping his tongue to himself this time. Being filled helped with the heat. It wasn’t the same as a knot, but Jihoon was rather thick so it was helping. His body liked it, and Jeonghan was tired, he wanted his heat to be over. 

“Kwannie?”

“Yes, love?”

“Over soon?”

Seungkwan didn’t answer, just looked at Jihoon with wide eyes. He’d only been in heat for about twelve hours. His heats usually lasted two days. 

Jihoon just hummed quietly, “sure, Angel. Do you want to take a nap?”

“Stay?”

“Of course, you just have a nap, I’m not going anywhere."

Jeonghan seemed happy with that and quickly, ridiculously quickly considering the position he was in, fell asleep, purring quietly. 

Jihoon sighed. 

“Hyung? How is he going to last a full two days?” Seungkwan asked. Neither of them said anything. 

  
  


Wonwoo came in the door and raised an eyebrow at them on the bed, “Is he asleep?”

“Yeah. He wants it to be over-”

“We have a day and a half to go!”

“Maybe it’ll go quicker with the alphas. And there are 12 of us. And we’re bonded. Maybe it’s easier?” Seungkwan wrapped his arms around himself. "How can you hate heats?”

“Knots do make them go faster,” Wonwoo allowed, climbing onto the bed and pulling Seungkwan into his arms, “I’d love to ask the service he’s been using what they’ve been doing because I don’t like the things I’m thinking."

Seungkwan turned his head to kiss him slowly, chaste, considering they were both next to nude and Jeonghan was cockwarming Jihoon in his sleep right beside them, but you know sweetness can be found in the most unexpected of places if only you know where to look. 

“I hate to interrupt,” Jihoon drawled, “But can someone put on music or the radio or a podcast or if there’s a laptop in here can we have a film or tv, I’d even take our own content, just something to distract me?”

The omegas looked over to him, to the sweat beading on his temples and his hands very carefully holding onto Jeonghan’s waist. The omega was shifting in his sleep. 

Seungkwan and Wonwoo both held back laughter and grasped around for a phone. 

“Of course, you’re doing great, such a good sex beta-”

“You know I hate that term,” Jihoon bit out and Wonwoo busied himself with the phone. 

“Such a good sex beta,” Seungkwan cooed at him and was about ten centimetres from squishing his cheeks when Jihoon clucked loudly. 

“I meant heat companion, best beta, heat beta, comfort beta? Sexy beta?” Seungkwan was babbling, managing to get all of the wrong terms and Jihoon frowned at him. 

Wonwoo handed the phone over to Jihoon, “Here, put on a podcast or something,” and tugged Seungkwan back into the relative safety of his arms, “be good."

Jeonghan had napped for around 90 minutes, and he’d woken up boiling, his scent much more heat smelling than it had been since Seungcheol had knotted him, and keening. He’d woken himself up keening. Jihoon had flipped them over and worked him to two orgasms before he’d pulled out and curled around him quietly, wrung out. 

Seungkwan had pulled him over to himself and Wonwoo and they’d managed to wring a third from him while Jihoon called for Mingyu. After the third, Jeonghan was frantic. Crying and burning up and curling into himself tightly, arms wrapped around his middle, hurting, aching. They only seemed to make it worse.

“Nonu~ please, please, please! It hurts, Hyung, please~” 

All Wonwoo could do was coo and purr gently, coaxing Jeonghan onto his scent gland to help ease the heat-ache. Jeonghan uncurled slightly, but other than that it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. 

At this stage, Mingyu arrived and knocked softly on the door frame. Seungkwan was up and over to the door before anyone could even blink, shaking his fist and threatening bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, “If you hurt him there will be no more Kims," he hissed under his breath, and Mingyu raised his arms in peace. 

“I swear on my bloodline that I will not hurt Jeonghan. I swear it. Come on, I wouldn’t hurt anyone Kwannie, you know that,” Mingyu whined at him and the dissonance between Mingyu the massive alpha and the typically omegean noise that came out of his mouth jarred Seungkwan enough that he just waved him in. But not without a pointed, ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. Mingyu had never been a typical alpha. For one, his whole family were omegas, which was beyond rare, so a lot of his habits and mannerisms were omegean. And he was the best member at scent control. It made the omegas very comfortable with him, but also a little wary, because it was easy to forget. 

The moment Jeonghan caught sight of Mingyu he scrambled to turn over and arch down into the bed, face firmly in a cushion and chest down onto the mattress, bum up, knees anchored into the bed and thighs spread as wide as they’d go, slick practically gushing out of him. 

Everyone stopped and drew a collective breath. 

Jeonghan was presenting. 

It wasn’t that it was a bad thing. It really wasn’t. 

The longer nobody reacted, the louder Jeonghan’s keened, gasping every few seconds for breath. His entrance, swollen and stretched, fluttered with his breaths and his scent sweetened to an impossibly saccharine level. 

It was just really unexpected.

For Jeonghan, the only thing going through his head was ‘alpha alpha alpha  _ big _ alpha’ and an undercurrent, a very quiet undercurrent mind you, of ‘pups pups pups pups’. 

The longer he had to wait the more desperate he became, his keen turning into a sharp whine and he managed to wriggle his arms backwards to spread himself open further. 

At that, everyone remembered themselves again. Jihoon coaxed Jeonghan to turn his head on the pillow so he’d be able to breathe better, and Jeonghan reluctantly did so, an unhappy whine bubbling up as he nearly tipped sideways, Wonwoo’s hands on his sides the only thing stabilising him until he regained his centre of gravity. 

Feeling like he was never going to get his prize, and with the heat licking flames up his spine again, Jeonghan did the only thing he hadn’t done yet. 

An omegean heat croon. 

“Alpha~”

Wild horses couldn’t have kept Mingyu away after that and he rushed over to the bed, shrugging his robe off and steadying Jeonghan with large hands on his hips as Wonwoo leaned back, content to let Mingyu at it. 

Mingyu leaned down to nose at Jeonghan’s neck, licking Seungcheol's bite on his scent gland before repeating the motion on the other side of his neck, sucking a mark on it steadily. "Hey, darlin’.”

“Alpha, big alpha,” Jeonghan murmured in response and Mingyu laughed lowly, trailing fingers through Jeonghan’s slick and screwing two fingers in deep. 

“Pl-pl,” Jeonghan swallowed, “please Gyu, Alpha, please-”

“Ok darlin’, you don’t have to beg unless you want to, I’m here,” Mingyu said into Jeonghan’s ear as he kissed whatever parts of his face he could reach. Jeonghan wiggled his hips, pushing back against Mingyu’s hand and sobbing. 

Mingyu swallowed. He wouldn’t be able to forget this ever, blushing just thinking of how on earth he was going to act normal with his  _ Hyung _ after this display. Future Mingyu problem. 

Jeonghan was clearly not satisfied with the pace the alpha was setting and crooned again, loud and demanding and it went straight to Mingyu’s core. 

“Ok ok, ok omega, I get it.”

The noise that Jeonghan made when Mingyu finally started to push inside him was beyond obscene, his hands finally dropping from his thighs and scrambling on the bedsheets until Seungkwan gave him his hand to grip onto. Mingyu tangled his fingers with Jeonghan’s other hand and brought it to cup Jeonghan’s stomach as he draped himself over Jeonghan’s back; fully seated and just waiting for Jeonghan to get used to the stretch. 

See, Mingyu was big. Tall, broad, loud and  _ big.  _

Jeonghan was panting through it, the blend of arousal and soothing scents in the air helping immensely, but more than that, the feeling of being properly mounted, the feeling of Mingyu inside him, the alpha’s breath huffing at the base of his neck as he strained to keep still, and their interlocked fingers rubbing over his belly. 

Jeonghan just melted into the bed, still holding the position as much as possible, but relaxed. Mingyu took this as the sign it was to move, and move he certainly did. 

Where Seungcheol had been gentle and careful, treating Jeonghan as if he would break if he pushed too hard; Mingyu was much more  _ alpha _ about the whole thing. He took. Unapologetically and primally. Driving forward with enough force that he had to hold Jeonghan most of the way up to stop his head knocking against the headboard. His world view had tunnelled down to pleasing Jeonghan, knocking the heat out of him, and doing his job. 

Mingyu’s scent was heavy in the room. Very heavy. It acted as a blanket on top of Jeonghan, Mingyu’s scent screaming arousal, for Jeonghan, his protectiveness. The scent was all that Jeonghan could smell, Mingyu all he could think. 

Jihoon rubbed his nose lightly, it kind of burned, the blend. Jeonghan’s scent was still cloyingly sweet, screaming  _ fertile, ready, omega, please _ ; but the longer they went at it, the more mellowed it became as _ pleased, sated, happy  _ tried to take over. 

Mingyu pushed in for the last time with a growl, and bit down on Jeonghan’s scent gland, drawing a scream from Jeonghan, who was so, so close, a thrumming live wire of pleasure, completely tied to Mingyu. 

Wrapping his arms carefully around Jeonghan, Mingyu lifted him and rocked back to sit down and cradle Jeonghan in his arms. 

That did it for Jeonghan. The show of strength, combined with the knot rubbing up against exactly where he wanted it, had him coming so hard his eyes rolled back in his head and for a second he lost consciousness, before coming back around with a throaty purr. 

“So big, Alpha’s so big,” Jeonghan said conversationally, and Jihoon and Wonwoo just stared at him. At them. 

Jeonghan’s eyes were going back to normal, well, less scarily blue, and he twitched backwards in Mingyu’s embrace. 

“Bite, Alpha please.”

“Darlin’, I already bit you-”

“Yes.”

Mingyu shook his head and worried his teeth back into the mark. Jeonghan went even more boneless against him and Wonwoo laughed quietly, curling against Jihoon. Someone should probably leave, the bed was only so big, but nobody wanted Jeonghan to whine again. 

Seungkwan handed a few hydration balls to Mingyu and started to wipe gently at Jeonghan’s front and thighs, dropping the cloths into a wash bag and draping a soft towel under them for later. 

“Are you comfortable Mingyu-ya?” Jihoon called as Mingyu fed the hydration balls to Jeonghan. Clever things they were: waterproof seaweed holding a mouthful of water, it broke open in your mouth and was completely edible. 

“For the moment, I’ll lie us down in a bit. Wonwoo-hyung, do you want to go and eat? You look like you need a break,” Mingyu asked in concern. Jeonghan was now nibbling on Mingyu’s fingers, eyes closed and gripping on tightly to Mingyu’s arm around his waist. 

“He’ll whine-”

“Seungkwan isn’t going anywhere. It won’t be like with Seungcheol-hyung,” Mingyu rumbled gently, “Go on, Jun-hyung should be in the kitchen, he made kimchi fried rice earlier, there should still be some left."

Wonwoo’s eyes lit up, “Okay. Okay, I’m going, but Seungkwan you’re not to leave this room for anything short of actual murder right?”

“Yes Hyung, I know, go,” Seungkwan practically pushed Wonwoo out the door and Mingyu closed his teeth on the indentations he’d made earlier, sucking and nipping. Jeonghan whined a tiny bit, but it was more of a  _ you’re leaving?  _ whine instead of the previous  _ I’m being abandoned I will die _ whines of the day before. 

Mingyu eventually released Jeonghan’s shoulder, he didn’t want to completely ruin the skin, and Jeonghan fussed for a minute before Mingyu pressed his fingers back against his lips and Jeonghan licked and sucked on them happily. 

  
  


“Do you want a shower, Angel?” Jihoon asked after about 25 mins and Jeonghan blinked at him. 

Mingyu slipped his fingers out of Jeonghan’s mouth, the omega had moved on to his other hand, and cooed at him gently, “Do you want to shower soon? I’ll bring you in when my knot goes down, hmm? And then you can nap with Jihoon-hyung?”

Jeonghan thought about it and then nodded. "Alpha, bite?”

Mingyu winced, looking at Jeonghan’s neck, “Darlin’, I can’t bite you again it’ll-”

“No, not me, you?” Jeonghan craned his neck back to see Mingyu, “Please?”

“Oh, oh, of course, you can.”

Content with that answer, Jeonghan squirmed happily on Mingyu’s lap causing them both to hiss and tugged at the arm wrapped around his waist, trying to interlace his fingers with Mingyu’s. 

  
  


“Mingyu-hyung, are you sure you’re comfortable?” Seungkwan asked this time and Mingyu nodded. 

“It’ll go down in a few minutes. I’d go into the shower now but I can’t exactly lift Jeonghan like this, can I baby?” he added as Jeonghan looked up at his name. 

“Turn?”

“No! Not yet, stay put, don’t move!” Mingyu rushed out, Order slipping into his voice at the thought of Jeonghan trying to turn on a knot. "Sorry love,” Jeonghan had frozen, “You’re ok, I’m sorry, just don’t move too much baby,” Mingyu rumbled gently, nosing at Jeonghan’s nape and catching his fingers with one hand, soothing and apologising for frightening him. 

Seungkwan huddled back into Jihoon, a shiver shaking his entire body at the thought of the pain that would cause. 

Thankfully, Mingyu’s knot deflated soon after and the alpha helped Jeonghan to swivel around, it would be a lot tidier to pull properly out when they were in the shower. Jeonghan took that as an opportunity to sink his teeth into Mingyu’s shoulder, staying there, wrapped like a limpet to Mingyu, all the way to the bathroom and in the shower until he eventually had to detach himself, closing his eyes and leaning heavily against Mingyu, letting the alpha do all of the work.

By the time they were finished, Jeonghan was clinging to Mingyu’s shoulders in an effort to stay upright and tears were rolling down his cheeks. 

“Hey hey,” Mingyu nuzzled his cheek, “Tell me what’s wrong love?”

Jeonghan shook his head and Mingyu switched the water off and held him gently. "That’s ok, cry it out.”

They stayed like that for a while, Jeonghan crying and Mingyu just holding him, murmuring, before they both started to shiver and Mingyu steered Jeonghan out and into a big fluffy towel and sat him on the counter while he dried himself off and pulled on a pair of pyjamas. 

“Sad tears or happy tears?” Mingyu asked again as he towel-dried Jeonghan’s hair. 

“Both? I feel empty, just... empty." Jeonghan managed, closing his eyes and leaning into Mingyu’s touch. Mingyu just nodded, finishing with his hair and standing him up, drying him off quickly and helping him into his own pyjamas. 

“That’s expected. It’ll ease in a few minutes. Tears are cathartic. Now, do you want me to lift you or can you walk?” Mingyu asked, but he was already picking Jeonghan up and walking them back into the bedroom where the bedsheets had been changed and lunch was waiting, steaming hot on a tray. 

“We thought we could watch a film?” Seungkwan asked, adding more pillows to the bed. Time lost its meaning in heats. The time between waves was always spent either sleeping or watching something and trying to relax before the next one. 

When everyone had finished eating, Mingyu had tugged Jeonghan back into his lap and settled a hand over his stomach, warm and present. Wonwoo and Seungkwan snuggled beside them and they flicked on a film. Jeonghan and Wonwoo both falling asleep before the title sequence of Wonder Woman had even finished, Seungkwan following soon after. Mingyu smiled, pleased they trusted him enough to fall asleep while Jeonghan was like this. He lowered the volume down and tugged a blanket over all of them, settling in to enjoy the film. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hydration Balls Exist!! [[And they’re very cool!](https://patient-innovation.com/post/2599)]


	5. Heat Has Hit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeonghan is tired, Seungkwan is tired, Joshua is tired, Wonwoo is tired, Chan? Chan is _Ready._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Yes I said weekly but I got impatient and now it's biweekly!! Surprise!!! [Blame Brooke.](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant/status/1288450336399790081)
> 
> Idiot levels rise.

Jeonghan woke with a frown. Seungkwan looked over from where he was playing on his phone to see Jeonghan half sitting up and checking his temperature. He sighed heavily before slumping back against the pillows. 

"Jeonghan-ah? Everything okay?"

"Heat."

"Ah. Yes. Good morning?"

"Nope."

"Right. Mmm. Would you like breakfast?" Seungkwan raised his phone, "I can ask for whatever?"

"Can I, can I leave the room?" Jeonghan asked with a hand thrown over his eyes, "When will this be over?"

Seungkwan boggled at him, "If you want to, we can go to the kitchen?" He couldn’t imagine ever wanting to leave his room during heat, it was too unnerving. But Jeonghan just sighed again and hauled himself upright. 

"Is there anything I can wear?" And he sounded much more coherent than he’d been since his heat had properly started. Maybe it was ending? Maybe it was over? But there was something, something that made Seungkwan doubt that.

"Sure, hold on." Seungkwan grabbed a robe off the back of the door and held it open for Jeonghan to put on. The omega was really shaky on his feet, but he seemed pretty determined to leave the room, so Seungkwan just helped him to fasten it and then wrapped an arm around his waist. 

However. They hadn’t even fully crossed the threshold before a whine ripped itself from Jeonghan’s chest and he gripped onto the door frame, face drained of all colour and his body starting to shake. 

"Ok, Hannie, let’s just go back inside, you don’t have to push yourself through this, there’s no reason to!" Seungkwan said, trying to keep his voice level but it went shrill at the end as he tried to hold Jeonghan up. 

Jeonghan shook his head, "No."

"Please don’t do this to yourself."

Jeonghan ignored him and tried to take another step but he really couldn’t. The room was his nest, it smelled safe, it smelled familiar. It smelled like all the soothing products they’d put around it, and now that he was out of it, he was freaking out much more rapidly, and his heat scent was wafting around the halls; unconstrained by the scent blockers that the doorway was coated in. 

Joshua rounded the corridor and did a double-take. "Jeonghan-ah? What on earth are you trying to do?" He hurried down to them and hovered in front of them, visibly restraining himself from touching them. 

"Heat’s finished." Jeonghan said, sounding one second away from tears and Joshua stared at him. 

"Honey?" Joshua asked him, looking at Seungkwan, but Seungkwan just shrugged. He had no clue what was going on either. 

Jeonghan shook his head rapidly, "Finished."

"No you’re not, I really don’t think you are."

Jeonghan swiped at his eyes, "I am!"

"Ok, ok ok, can I scent you to check?" Joshua tried and Jeonghan shrugged but arched his neck. Joshua stepped closer, dipping his nose into the crease of his neck and inhaling. 

Aha. Guilt. 

When Joshua pulled back, Jeonghan was staring at him, and Joshua blinked. No need to be all challenging. "You know it’s not a burden for us to care for you during your heat?"

Now that he knew what he was looking at Joshua could see Jeonghan pulling himself up, dragging himself up from where his heat had put him, propping himself on Seungkwan, on the door. If he said now that they had to go, Jeonghan would find a way to bury everything and move forward. It was… unsettling, his eyes and his nose weren’t in agreement, but maybe it had something to do with Jeonghan’s Chan situation? Or else the services and Joshua really didn't want to go down that route.

"Schedules?" Jeonghan practically hissed, but Joshua just shook his head. 

"No honey, we blocked the whole week off. You don’t have to do anything right now but let your body tell us what it wants."

"How long?" Jeonghan seemed to finally give up, visibly sinking back into a heat headspace and leaning fully against the door frame. 

"You’ve been in heat for 30 hours. You’ve got a bit left. Why don’t you go back inside and I’ll bring you some food?"

"But you…?"

"I’ll just feed you, honey, it’s ok, don’t force anything. Just, try to relax?"

"Joshua-hyung will take care of everything," Seungkwan said confidently, "Let’s just go back inside. You picked up some face masks didn’t you? We could have a pampering morning!"

Joshua nodded encouragingly and Jeonghan grumbled but let himself be led back into the bedroom and tucked into blankets and fluffy pillows in the large armchair in the corner of the room. 

Joshua appeared soon after with an enormous tray in his arms, enough for at least four of them, and set it down on the bed, handing things to the two omegas with a look and an ‘eat-up’. They ate quickly, realising how ravenous they were once they started. The size of the tray that Joshua had brought in quickly made sense. 

While they’d been eating, Jeonghan’s scent had started sweetening and by the time he was finished his heat was back in full force for what would hopefully be its final wave. Joshua took the last bowl off him and hugged him tightly. 

"Nearly done Hannie, nearly done." 

And then lifted the tray and walked to the door, turning around to fix Jeonghan with a look. "Don’t cry. You’ll see me later, and the others are taking such good care of you aren’t they?" 

Jeonghan nodded and turned his head away, twisting into the blankets and trying to ignore the fact that Joshua was  _ leaving him _ and that he was grinding down pathetically into the nest on the chair. But despite his best attempts, he couldn’t quite help the whine, tiny and pathetic as it was, from coming out. 

Joshua just closed the door behind him and marched down into the kitchen. "Jun-ah, final wave I think."

"Hyung?"

"Why does he whine like that?!" Joshua snapped and Jun shrugged, hedging him in against the counter and dropping his chin onto his shoulder. 

"We’ll find out later. Why don’t you go get lunch with Mingyu-ya today? You need to get out of here and it’s only going to get worse before it gets better. You know that."

"Yeah, maybe," Joshua was noncommittal even as the stress bled out of him at the thought of leaving the house for an hour. None of the other cycles had ever hit him as hard, but none of the other members had ever omitted so much. None of them had been Jeonghan either. "Maybe I should. Just for an hour. Don’t tell him?"

"Now, why would I do that hyung?"

"I don’t know," the elder sighed and sagged against Jun, "Call me if you need me."

"Of course," Jun gave Joshua a final squeeze and pulled back. "Go on then, Mingyu has the list already. Try to relax."

Back in the bedroom, Seungkwan and Jeonghan had relocated to the bed and Seungkwan had finally broken open the toy box. Jeonghan was still cocooned in the blankets from the waist up, and Seungkwan was half on top of him, kissing him and holding a quiet vibrator against him gently while Jeonghan clenched down around a fairly large dildo. 

It wasn’t doing much. 

Had this been the start of his heat, it would have been fine, the girth would have screamed knot, the vibrations would have worked, the kissing would have helped, the edge would have been taken off and it was the way heats passed without alphas. However, two alphas, two betas and countless orgasms later, it was like a drop of water in a vase. 

A drop of water that made the vase overflow though; Seungkwan knew what he was doing. Unsatisfying as it may have been, it did in fact work and Jeonghan collapsed back against the bed in temporary relief. 

Wonwoo and Jun knocked at the door a little while later, greeted by a high pitched scream, a sigh and then a loud, "Come in if you’re not an alpha!" from Seungkwan. 

Upon entering the room, it was plainly obvious that Jeonghan was fed up, that Seungkwan was fed up, that they both were just completely and utterly done with the entire situation. Both of them were red-faced and the room smelled of desperation and irritation. 

Jun tugged Seungkwan away from Jeonghan and into a loose hug while Wonwoo climbed up to hover on top of Jeonghan and coo gently; the two new arrivals emitting a storm of soothing pheromones to calm the two omegas down, and after roughly ten minutes they started to take effect. 

Jeonghan pulled Wonwoo down into an embrace, pressing their cheeks together and wrapping his arms around his shoulders, purring quietly. Wonwoo petted his shoulder, rubbing circles around the various bites that were scattering his skin and pressing his thumb against a scent gland. Jeonghan melted into the bed, a keen shaking its way out of him. 

Seungkwan tipped his forehead against Jun’s chest and exhaled through his nose, winding his arms around his waist. 

They all stayed like that for a good while, breathing each other in, calming down, relaxing. 

The heat wasn’t over yet, and the slowly rising headiness of Jeonghan’s scent only confirmed that but he seemed reluctant to do anything about it, so Wonwoo didn’t draw attention to it. He rolled onto his side, and Jeonghan was quick to turn and shift down the bed to press his head against Wonwoo’s chest, syncing his breaths to Wonwoo’s and using the steady "thump thump" and the pressure of Wonwoo’s hand on his neck to settle himself further. 

  
  


Seungkwan let go of Jun and went back over to the bed to bend over Jeonghan and whisper, "I’m not mad at you baby, I’m sorry. Hyungs are going to take over for me for a bit and I’ll see you later okay?"

Jeonghan nodded, and only the tiniest whine left his throat when Seungkwan closed the door behind him. 

Jun sat down on the other side of Jeonghan, his warmth bleeding into Jeonghan’s back and Jeonghan closed his eyes. Maybe if he drifted off it would just go…

He must have fallen asleep, because when he opened his eyes, he was curled against Jun and Wonwoo was putting toys into a wash bag, talking to Jun softly. 

Jeonghan fidgeted, hips rocking minutely and Jun looked down at him. "Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?"

"Fed up," Jeonghan’s voice was back to being high and sweet, heat still in charge here, he'd stopped fighting it, sinking back into the heavy haze. 

Jun smiled, "How’s the heat feeling?"

"Alpha time?"

Laughing lightly, Jun shook his head, "Not quite yet love. We’re going to try and get two more out of you and then Chan will be the last big push, and hopefully, that’ll be the end of it." 

Wonwoo smiled and settled on Jun’s other side, looking down at Jeonghan softly, "Does that sound okay?"

Jeonghan pushed his head into Jun’s hip, "yeah. Start now?"

Jun nodded and Jeonghan tilted his head up for a kiss. Jun leaned down to kiss him, but let Jeonghan control it. Jeonghan was kissing him messily, mouth open and no coordination, so when Jun didn’t take over, he huffed and leaned across Jun to Wonwoo. 

Wonwoo put his hand on Jeonghan’s cheek, petting softly, and brought their lips together, sucking gently on Jeonghan’s lip and licking into his mouth. 

Jeonghan reached back for Jun’s hand. Jun smiled and held tight. 

Jun and Wonwoo’s hands were deft and sure and they sent him screeching from one peak to the next and before he could catch his breath, Jeonghan was coming down from his second climax and crying into Jun’s shoulder blade. Messy heat tears. They cradled him close. Tears were good. 

There was a knock on the door and it opened, revealing Chan, who hesitated in the door, his robe tied loosely, until Jun waved him over to the bed. Jeonghan turned at the movement and caught sight of him. 

He hissed. 

It was quiet and under his breath and he cut it off the moment he noticed that it was him, but the fact remained that Jeonghan hissed when he saw Chan. Which… wasn’t a good thing. 

Chan gulped slightly but still came over to the bed. Jeonghan backed into Wonwoo, gripping his knee tightly and strangling a bizarre-sounding hiss purr in his throat. 

"Omega?" Chan tried and Jeonghan met his eyes unblinkingly. "You don’t have to have me if you don’t want to. Seungcheollie-hyung can go again if you need him. Or not. I don’t know what you want, but Junnie-hyung thinks I might be able to help you end this heat a little faster."

"End?" Jeonghan clung to the one thing he wanted to hear. 

"Yeah, Hyungs have a theory that your body wants to please everyone. Three waves, three alphas. You’re doing so well."

Jeonghan whirled around, looking at Jun with wide eyes, before turning back around to Chan, who was perched on the end of the bed, lips quirked in a gentle smile. 

"Omega?" Jeonghan ignored him and wiggled free from Wonwoo.

"Omega, do you want me to kiss you?" Chan asked lightly when Jeonghan was half-way over to him, crawling super intently. 

Jeonghan nodded, and Chan scooched closer and met him halfway on the bed; tilting Jeonghan’s head up to him gently and bringing their lips together with little fanfare. Chan was sweet but dominant, and Jeonghan mewled a little into the kiss, grasping at his shoulders and melting under his hands. His scent sweetened and his legs tipped open as Chan kneeled between them. 

Smoothing his hands down Jeonghan’s body, Chan petted at his chest, at his stomach, his hips and then dragged a finger through his slick, breaking the kiss to suck his finger clean. 

Jeonghan keened high at that and Chan leaned back in for another series of lazy, intense kisses. 

Sitting down properly, Chan tugged Jeonghan into the circle of his legs and Jeonghan steadied himself against his chest, the two of them still kissing; Chan’s scent suffocatingly strong, but Jeonghan didn’t seem to care, chasing after Chan’s lips every time they parted for air, and purring steadily. 

By the time Jeonghan started whining and fidgeting, his lips were beyond swollen and Chan had started kissing his jaw and ears and cheekbones in between each kiss to his lips, giggling at Jeonghan’s increasingly frustrated reactions. Chan pulled back and wiped the saliva off Jeonghan’s lips with a finger before gently kissing his eyelids and whispering, "Do you want me now or will I get Seungcheol-hyung?"

"Alpha alpha alpha~"

"Which one, omega?"

"You, Chan-ah, come on, Alpha~" Jeonghan whined and leaned in for another kiss. Chan laughed into it, running his hands down Jeonghan’s back and under his backside, lifting him up and down  into his lap, straight  onto his  cock .

"Yesssssss-" 

Jeonghan didn’t seem in any mood or hurry to move, so Chan just let him sit there, warm and full, for quite a while, kissing and nipping all over Jeonghan’s face and shoulders. 

"Seungcheol-hyung bit your left scent gland, and Mingyu-hyung bit your right. Shall I bite the base of your throat? Or bite on top of both of them? Or we can move a bit and I’ll bite the  back of your neck?"

Jeonghan responded by leaning down and biting Chan. Left shoulder, just under the shoulder blade, the exact same place that he’d marked everyone else. 

Chan howled in surprise and pain, even as he held Jeonghan close, tensing completely before forcibly relaxing, "I did not expect that, okay, omega warn me next time. I’ll put yours there too, okay. You’re okay. I’m okay, whoah. You have sharp teeth and good God on high. Oh, my sweet Jesus. Oh, the pain -"

Chan probably would have gone on for an hour but Jeonghan clenched down, rocked forward and shut him up. It was only Jeonghan’s grip on Chan’s shoulder and his determination to stay upright that kept him moving at all, so when he eventually released his grip, he slumped further forward with a quiet whine. Chan pressed his smile to Jeonghan’s shoulder and took over.

It was much slower than the other two alphas; minimum energy, maximum return, but it was all Jeonghan was really up for. He was tired, he was exhausted and he was pretty fed up with the entire situation; so soft, gentle kisses and a slow rocking motion was perfect. 

Once Chan’s knot started to swell, he worried his teeth into Jeonghan’s skin and the omega crooned high and loud, tears beading at the corners of his eyes, before melting even further into Chan, leaning his head on his shoulder as Chan laved and sucked at the mark, ensuring it would last quite a while. 

By the time Chan’s knot finally locked, Jeonghan was purring loudly. He wrapped his arms around Chan’s shoulders tightly and even as he ground down on the knot in tiny circles, he was yawning. 

"Tired, Alpha."

Chan smiled, this omega was so sweet, and gently, hands supporting Jeonghan’s head and back, laid them down so that Jeonghan was half under Chan and with his head pillowed on cushions. Jeonghan gasped, the weight settling things that he didn’t even know had been frayed, and clung tighter. 

"Sleep now omega, I’ll be here when you wake up."

It wasn’t even 9 pm, but sure. Sleep was good. Chan swept Jeonghan’s hair out of his face, kissing and rumbling and petting and praising. Wonwoo threw a blanket over their legs and settled in on Jeonghan’s other side, sitting up in the bed with a book and Jun slipped out the door. 

Hopefully, he’d wake up out of it. 


	6. Post Heat Predicaments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when you mix over-tiredness with a fluctuating headspace and severe confusion?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s get this baby hugged.

Jeonghan didn’t sleep long, but he woke tired and cold. Wonwoo leaned in to scent him and a smile broke out over his face at the nice mellow post heat smell of him. 

"You’re finished!"

As if summoned, Soonyoung knocked on the door, "I was in the area and I thought I’d check. Ready for a shower?"

Jeonghan blinked blearily at him from around Chan’s shoulder and Soonyoung laughed quietly. 

"Sorry!! You’re still asleep, call me when you’re ready!" He disappeared and the door closed behind him. 

Jeonghan turned confused eyes on Wonwoo. 

"Soonyoung-hyung likes to have a post heat ritual with us. Kwannie gets a bath and hot chocolate, I have a really hot shower and that chocolate coffee we found in LA. Soonyoung-ah likes to pamper us. He’s really excited to see what you like! I remember my first time he brought out about 15 different types of sugar scrubs just in case I’d changed my mind." 

"He does the same for the alphas," Chan added, nuzzling Jeonghan’s shoulder, "Pampering is very universal Seungcheol-hyung!" he imitated. "I get baths too. There’s this particular bath bomb that I love, Lush does one called Twilight and it’s so perfect and soothing. Hyung stocks them specially."

"Oh," said Jeonghan quietly, "I didn’t realise-"

"How would you?" Wonwoo asked gently, "You always went home or moved dorms for the cycles up to now. Nobody expects you to know these things," he kissed Jeonghan’s shoulder to soften his words. 

"I’m, I-"

"Don’t be sorry," Chan rumbled, "You weren’t ready, that’s not a sin."

"But I should have?"

"Done nothing you weren't comfortable with. You only have to do things that you’re comfortable doing in this pack. If you don’t feel comfortable with it then you just say it and you won’t have to do it. Promise." 

Jeonghan mulled that over for a long time. 

  
  


"... omega?" Chan’s voice sounded like he’d been calling Jeonghan for a while. 

Jeonghan focused on his voice and shook his head a little, "Chan-ah?"

"There you are. I’m going to pull out now, okay? It’s going to hurt if I stay any longer," Chan explained gently, a rumble undercoating his words, but even still. Jeonghan gripped onto his wrist. 

"Hannie-ya, we need you to let him go," Wonwoo cooed, "it’s going to be okay. You’ve done so well."

Tears were rolling down Jeonghan’s cheeks and Wonwoo shifted closer, resting his forehead against Jeonghan’s and pressing his thumbs to Jeonghan’s scent glands. 

"Take a deep breath for me, love. That’s it… and let it out. There you go. Breathe in again… perfect. And back out. There you are, all done," Wonwoo instructed and once Chan moved, he tugged Jeonghan closer. 

Chan hadn’t moved far, just to Jeonghan’s side. He rubbed his lower back softly, trying to ease the ache that Jeonghan must be feeling. 

Jeonghan didn’t know why he was crying, but he couldn’t stop. Wonwoo and Chan held him tighter. Telling him to ‘let it out’, that it was going to ‘be okay’, and Jeonghan knew that. He knew he was being silly. Now that Chan was out of him, his heat was over he needed to snap back to reality. Tears were sticking in his throat, he felt useless. He was normally able to control this stupid headspace. He was the second eldest for Pete’s sake! 

"That doesn’t mean anything. You’re allowed to cry and feel awful and be confused and upset. Nobody is going to judge you, love. You’re safe here." Wonwoo said and Jeonghan cried harder. He couldn’t even tell when he was speaking or thinking, and they were treating him like an invalid. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t he breathe? 

He couldn’t -

Chan set his teeth against the mark he’d made earlier; closing down gently. Jeonghan gasped for air and went lax. Oh, back down we go. 

Wonwoo thumbed tears from beneath his eyes and cooed softly until Jeonghan’s eyelids fluttered open and he started to sob again. 

"None of that, love. I need you to take some breaths for me," Wonwoo encouraged in his ‘hyung-voice’ and Jeonghan tried. He really tried. Nothing was working, this was pathetic.

"You’re doing really well love, just a few more… breathe with me-" Wonwoo put Jeonghan’s hand on his chest and held it there, "-in and out… in and out… just like that…"

Jeonghan shifted into what was clearly his comfort position, head against Wonwoo’s heart, and clung to him tightly. He was still sort of crying but he was breathing much better, synced with Wonwoo. Chan started to sing softly, something traditional, something familiar, something comforting. 

After a verse and chorus, Wonwoo joined in. The music soothed Jeonghan’s very bones. He tried to keep his eyes open but they fell shut as if dragged closed by heavy weights.

They were still singing when he managed to wake up again, but this time there was a third voice. Jeonghan stiffened, it was embarrassing enough that their maknae was seeing him like this; he didn’t need a bigger audience to this embarrassing spectacle.

Wonwoo broke off to run his hand along Jeonghan’s side, "It’s okay love, it’s just Seungkwan-ah."

Jeonghan figured that was fine. He was probably desensitised at this stage. 

Seungkwan stifled a laugh and leaned down to pepper kisses on Jeonghan’s ear and neck and hair. "There’s nothing to be embarrassed about."

Jeonghan just closed his eyes and leaned into the sensation. He disagreed, but he couldn’t be bothered to argue. 

"How do you feel about going and having a wash?" Wonwoo asked carefully, pulling back to see Jeonghan’s face. 

"Take as long as you want baby, there’s no rush at all." Seungkwan added. 

Jeonghan thought. That sounded like something he should do, would do. But having a wash meant leaving the room. Leaving the room meant leaving the bed. Leaving the bed meant leaving-

"Hey, hey, no, don’t do that-" Chan nuzzled his neck and released a wave of soothing pheromones. "What is it?"

Leaving the bed meant being alone -

"Hannie-ya, you asked that one of us two stay with you always, do you think we’re going to ignore that because you’re going to have a shower?" Seungkwan hit the nail on the head. 

"Soonyoung-ah doesn’t care if we’re there, love, just tell us what you want-" Wonwoo started but Jeonghan twisted back against his chest, covering his ears with his hands. Too much. He couldn’t - it was all too much. At least in his headspace he wasn’t supposed to make decisions like this, he couldn’t. He didn’t-

Jeonghan was muttering something, but he was muffled by Wonwoo’s top. Wonwoo curled down to try and listen. 

"... s’uji, josh’uji..."

"Seungkwan-ah, will you go and get Joshua-hyung?" Wonwoo asked quietly, holding Jeonghan close and rubbing his back.

"Hey, honey," Joshua’s voice was like a dock leaf on a nettle sting. But he wasn’t supposed to be here. He’d said he wouldn’t see him. He was being annoying, being awkward, making people go out of their ways, he shouldn’t-

"Jeonghan-ah. Stop that. Look at me."

Jeonghan looked. Joshua was sitting on the end of the bed, looking at him with soft eyes and a tired smile. 

"Do I look mad?"

He didn’t. 

"Do I look upset?"

He didn’t. 

"Would I be here if I didn’t want to be?"

Joshua rarely did things he didn’t want to do, so "no?"

"No, I wouldn’t. Stop worrying about things like that. That’s my job right now. Okay?"

Jeonghan nodded slowly. 

"What’s upsetting you?"

Wrong question. Jeonghan started crying again and hissed at himself, hiding in the bedclothes crying harder, he didn’t know what was going on, he didn’t know what was happening, he didn’t, he couldn’t-

There was a lot of tugging and pushing and moving and then Jeonghan was in Joshua’s lap, nose right on his scent gland, wrapped up tightly in a blanket and Joshua's arms. 

"Breathe." Joshua Ordered and Jeonghan couldn’t help but to obey. 

"Chan-ah is going to leave the room now. He’s not going far. There’s just Wonwoo-ya and myself in here with you now. We’re going to stay here like this for as long as you need. You’re not a burden to anyone. You’re not pathetic. You’re not useless. This isn’t embarrassing for us. You can stay in your headspace for as long as you want. You’ve seen us just as upset if not worse. Keep breathing for me, I don’t want you to stop," Joshua told him firmly, the thrum of an Order coating each word. 

Jeonghan breathed. And breathed. His head full of Joshua, full of being good, full of calmness and cotton wool. He breathed. 

  
  


He drifted. 

  
  
  


He eventually became aware of Wonwoo’s hand on the nape of his neck, heavy and warm. Reassuring. 

  
  
  


He could hear humming. Joshua’s humming. 

  
  
  


He could feel Joshua’s breath on his neck and smell his shampoo, and his scent. Jeonghan shifted, tongue darting out to lick his scent gland. He tasted like he always did: minty honey. Jeonghan licked again. 

And again. 

He was nibbling now. He wondered if Joshua would be mad if he bit him. Nonu said omegas could bite omegas, so surely he could bite Shua too?

"Ask first, Omega," Wonwoo murmured into his ear, amused. Oh, he must have said that aloud. 

"Shua?"

"Go ahead, honey."

Joshua tilted his head, oh he was such a good beta. Jeonghan nosed around a bit and then sunk his tiny fangs down into the scent gland. Ah yes. This is what he’d wanted. 

It was pretty clear to Wonwoo that he’d been wrong in assuming that just because his heat was finished Jeonghan was out of omega-space. He was nowhere near out of it. If he was anywhere near the top of it, Wonwoo would eat his hat. He was vocalising every single thing. It was pretty adorable. 

Joshua met Wonwoo’s eyes and smiled, Jeonghan was precious. 

  
  


"Beta?" Jeonghan asked later, after intently licking the bite clean. 

"Yes, honey?"

"Bite?"

"Honey, you bit me already." Joshua was gentle, but Jeonghan shook his head. 

"Bite me~"

"Ah, of course," Joshua kissed Jeonghan shoulder before biting down carefully. Jeonghan crooned loudly into Joshua’s neck before starting to purr. This was what he needed. Mmmm teeth in his neck. Lots of bites. Well bitten. What a well bitten omega he was. Such a good pack, biting him properly. 

Wonwoo stifled a laugh. 

But everyone hadn’t bitten him. Jeonghan’s purr quietened and stopped. Hyung hadn’t bitten him, and Hyung hadn’t bitten him, had he bitten them? He couldn’t remember. Why couldn’t he remember? He’d bitten big Alpha, and baby Alpha, and Alpha. And beta. Yes he had, Jeonghan kissed Joshua’s bite mark. He’d bitten Nonu. But he hadn’t bitten the others?

Jeonghan gasped dramatically, tears making a reappearance. 

Joshua released his shoulder, licking it quickly and pressing his fingers against it. 

"Omega? You can bite everyone later, you need to breathe for me, remember? What did I say?"

"Youdidn’twantmetostop-"

"Yes. So keep breathing for me."

Jeonghan tried. He really, really tried. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t. Why was this so hard?

"Be-ta?" Jeonghan’s throat was closing up, he clutched at Joshua, "Be-"

"I’m here, honey," Joshua was worried, Jeonghan was getting paler and paler. 

"I-I-Can’t-"

"Ok honey, okay. I Need you to Breathe for me." Joshua Ordered again, relieved when Jeonghan actually took a breath, and another one, and another one. 

Then Jeonghan clutched his hand tightly, scent screaming  _ fear _ and his breaths started to get shallower and tighter.

They were getting nowhere with this. "Honey, I’m sorry. You can scream at me later," Joshua kissed Jeonghan’s forehead. "Sleep." He Ordered and Jeonghan’s eyes snapped shut, slumping against Joshua’s chest with, thankfully, steady breathing. 

"Hyung?" Wonwoo’s voice was shaky. 

"I know, I know. Let me close this properly," Joshua said soothingly before returning to the bite on Jeonghan’s shoulder, licking over it again and again until he was satisfied that it was not going to be stinging. 

"Okay, Wonwoo-ya? I only ordered him asleep because he was going to pass out. An order is much easier to recover from, he’ll sleep it off. If he passed out that would be much worse."

"I think he passed out earlier for a second, he woke right back up, but he did it earlier, this heat is scary, I don’t like it-"

"Ok, thanks for telling me. I know it’s scary, I do, but it is what it is, alright?" Joshua pulled Wonwoo against him with one arm, kissing his head and rubbing his shoulder. 

"Can you reach my phone? It’s in the pocket of this jumper if you can get it?"

Seungkwan came in first, "Is Hyung okay?"

"He will be. Come over here and swap out with Wonwoo-ya," Joshua instructed gently as the door opened again, Mingyu this time. 

"Everything okay?" Mingyu asked with a frown as he scented the air, turning worried eyes on Jeonghan's figure. 

"I had to order him asleep. He was panicking and panicking and Wonwoo thinks he blacked out earlier. He’ll be okay, but I think Wonwoo-ya is a bit unnerved?" Joshua explained, turning to Wonwoo at the end. Wonwoo nodded against him. 

"Yeah, it’s all a bit scary. Do you feel okay leaving Jeonghan-ah with me and Kwannie for a bit? Go with Mingyu-ya and find Minghao-ya. Take as long as you need, alright?"

Wonwoo was hesitant, but once Mingyu was in reaching distance he let himself be tugged into a hug and scented. Mingyu could feel him shaking and just scooped him up. 

"You’ve been brilliant, it’s okay to need a bit of comfort right now okay? Let’s find Hao." Mingyu reassured and Wonwoo sighed loudly. 

"Call me if you need anything, Joshua-hyung, seriously."

"Hyung? What do you need me to do?" Seungkwan asked quietly and Joshua turned to him. 

"He should wake up pretty soon, he wasn’t all that tired, just overwhelmed I think. He is kind of crushing me though, so if you can help me- yeah."

Joshua and Seungkwan managed to manœuvrer Jeonghan onto the bed properly, and Seungkwan plastered himself to his back. 

"Right! Do you know if Chan is okay?"

"Yeah, Soonyoung-hyung had him the last I saw, do you need him?"

"Nope, just wanted to know," Joshua yawned, and lay down on Jeonghan’s other side. "Soonyoung-ah should be in in a bit, hopefully Han will get used to him when we’re here. You said he didn’t want to go without you?"

"Yeah, he completely freaked at the thought of leaving the bed, I said we’d go with him but… It didn’t make a difference, really."

"Hopefully sleep will help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By hug I clearly mean bite. Of course.


	7. Time to Tend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Jeonghan gets spoiled, a nest gets built and Soonyoung has the time of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the fun really begins! *rubs hands in glee*

"Hey guys. Cheol-hyung is in the kitchen if you need him," Soonyoung whispered, closing the door behind him with a snick. "How’s Hyung?"

"Thanks. Still out, come cuddle."

Jeonghan woke up as quickly as he’d fallen asleep. His eyes snapped open and he stared at Joshua, eyes bright blue. 

"Hey, honey," Joshua hummed, "are you feeling any better?"

"... yeah?" Jeonghan’s voice was wispy. He wriggled closer to Seungkwan, and tangled his fingers in the first hand he found. 

"Jeonghan-ah?" Soonyoung squeezed his hand and Jeonghan turned to look at him with wide eyes. 

"Youngie?"

"Yes, lovely. Would you like a bath? I have sparkly bubble bath or a sex bomb? We’ll get you all clean and pampered," there was a maniacal gleam in his eyes on that word, Seungkwan giggled into Jeonghan’s hair, "and wrapped in a new bathrobe!! It’s really fluffy! And then the sheets will be clean and you can nest!!"

"Who’s getting pampered here, really?" Joshua laughed, "You or him?"

"Don’t listen to him," Soonyoung whispered, "it’s all for you, my lovely. What do you think?"

Jeonghan looked at him with big eyes, tightening his grip on his hand. "Kwannie can come too?"

"Of course he can, it’s a big bathroom!" Soonyoung beamed and Jeonghan smiled tentatively back. 

"Kwannie?"

"Of course, baby." Seungkwan said and Jeonghan nodded. 

"Yes!" Soonyoung fist pumped and Jeonghan giggled, "It’s pamper time!"

Soonyoung was… maybe obsessed. 

Before Jeonghan knew exactly what was happening, he was in a steaming bubble bath with a cat shaped face mask on and a mug of tea sitting beside him. 

It was impossible to be embarrassed when Soonyoung was telling ridiculous jokes, so even though Soonyoung was cleaning him thoroughly, Jeonghan didn’t even think to blush or squirm away. He was floating in this weird space between up and down, he wasn’t familiar with it. Normally it was  **Up** or  Down and he had no idea what to do with this.

In between jokes and compliments, Soonyoung was muttering to himself about how this would have been easier in a shower but he in no way wanted to trust Jeonghan’s legs right now. Seated and secure. Seated and secure. He barely trusted Jeonghan’s ability to not drop his tea and scald himself but handing him a beaker would have been a bit too far. A travel mug was pushing it, but it had a screw top lid! It was harder to spill. And it was cute; it had tiny tigers all over it. Soonyoung’s favourite fan gift so far. 

Every now and then, Jeonghan would dart a look over to Seungkwan. He was sitting out of Soonyoung’s way with a mug of hot chocolate and a blanket, absently playing on his phone. Seungkwan would just smile or coo back and Jeonghan would relax, turn back to Soonyoung, enthralled. 

Once Soonyoung deemed Jeonghan clean enough, he coaxed him out and onto a stool, wrapped up tightly in a big towel. 

"I’m going to run another bath and you can sit in that one for as long as you want. Do you want to pick a bath bomb?" Soonyoung asked, pulling the plug and opening a box filled with different balls of happiness. 

Jeonghan picked a yellow one, holding it on his lap as Soonyoung started a new bath and then attacked his hair with a towel. 

They were waiting for the bath to draw, Soonyoung kneeled down in front of Jeonghan and put his hands on his knees. "Talk to me, lovely. How are you feeling?" 

"Special, spoiled."

Soonyoung smiled, "That’s good! I want to spoil you. Does anything hurt or sting?"

"... my back?"

"Can I have a look?" 

When Jeonghan nodded, Soonyoung went around him and peeled back the towel. Oof. There were a few scrapes down his spine. They hadn’t been very noticeable earlier, the bathwater must have irritated them. 

"I’m going to disinfect them and spray on some plaster, okay? That should keep them from stinging." Soonyoung said as he opened the first aid box. 

Jeonghan hissed. 

"I know it’s stingy, but it will be over in a second. Take a deep breath for me? There we go, all done. That’s waterproof too," Soonyoung came back around and kissed his forehead gently. 

Soonyoung turned off the taps and asked, "Do you want to drop the bath bomb in?"

Jeonghan lit up and stepped over to the bath like a newborn colt, Soonyoung put his hands on his hips, steadying him gently. The bomb fizzed and fuzzed and Jeonghan sat down with a bump on Soonyoung’s lap; legs gone. He wrapped an arm around his waist. Jeonghan had the wonder and amazement of a young child, and Soonyoung knew it was how his omega-space showed itself, but it was still quite hard to reconcile the two, and to not treat him like a child. 

Generally omegas remembered everything from their heats in complete clarity after a few days, and he didn’t want him to be embarrassed about how the members had interacted with him. Granted, if they’d known how he was going to act they would have been able to talk to him about how he wanted to be treated. One of Soonyoung’s friends liked being treated like a child in omega-space, she found it freeing. But he hadn’t said anything, so they were all working mostly on guess work, and what they thought would embarrass Jeonghan the least later on. 

Jeonghan craned his head back to look at Soonyoung. "Can I have a kiss, please?"

"Sure." Soonyoung kissed him carefully but Jeonghan nipped his lips over and over until Soonyoung just nipped them back, sucking on the tiny wounds and eventually pulling away. 

Once Jeonghan was safely settled in the bath, swirling the bath water around quietly, half in his head, Soonyoung exhaled heavily. He yawned, and swiped a hand across his eyes. Ok. 

"Seungkwannie? Come over here and sit beside Jeonghan-ah for a few minutes would you?" Soonyoung really needed a cup of coffee. And maybe a sandwich. Heat time was heat time, so for Jeonghan it was probably only around 8 pm. For Soonyoung, it was 4 am. He had slept most of the previous day in preparation, and they _were_ idols. But still. 4 am was 4 am. 

Seungkwan swapped with Soonyoung and held out his mug with puppy-dog eyes. 

"Okay. No need to beg. Back in a few minutes, lovelies!"

  
  


Jeonghan had started to prune by the time he was ready to get out of the bath, and Soonyoung helped him out and onto a towel. Time to cream everything up. Jeonghan may love his bites, but they were going to start to hurt once the endorphins wore off, whenever that would be. 

  
  


"Can you bite me, please?" 

"I’ll bite you when you’re in your nest, Jeonghan-ah," Soonyoung was firm, smoothing a cream over the bites already on Jeonghan’s neck. "This needs at least 30 minutes to soak in properly."

  
  


"Will you put underwear on for me?" Soonyoung was grasping at straws. The cream on his bum needed to soak in fully and it wouldn’t if it rubbed off on other fabric. Underwear had already been turned down, but pyjamas had been turned down twice. The only other option was to keep Jeonghan standing for 30 minutes, and Soonyoung wasn’t really liking his chances with that either. The omega’s legs were like noodles. And it was a ridiculous hour, late? Early? What did you call 5 am when you were running on a heat schedule?

Jeonghan pouted, but ultimately nodded and Soonyoung darted in to kiss his nose. 

"Brilliant!"

When Soonyoung steered Jeonghan back into the bedroom, wrapped in a white fluffy robe and yawning; it was completely aired out. It smelt clean. The windows were open and there were even flowers on the window sill. The bed had been put away and in its place were two massive piles of mats and blankets and duvets as tall as Mingyu. There was a table in the corner full of food: snacks and proper food in covered containers. Seokmin and Vernon were standing near it, hesitant. 

Jeonghan faltered. All this, for him?

Soonyoung tugged him back against his chest in a loose hug, and hooked his chin on his shoulder. "Talk to me."

"It’s all for me?"

"Of course it is. You just had a really hard heat. Even if you had had an easy one, it’s still hard on your body and your mind. Now it’s time to eat, and nest, and let your body recover. And let your head settle. It’s not settled yet is it?"

Jeonghan shook his head. Nothing was settled, everything was jumbled. 

"Use your words, lovely." Soonyoung murmured into his ear. 

"Headspace keeps shifting."

Soonyoung squeezed him tight, "Do you think nesting will help?"

"And cuddles?"

"Of course."

"Bites?" Jeonghan asked in the most hopeful tone and Soonyoung hummed. There wasn’t exactly a lot of space left. 

"Let’s make your nest first. Bites second, that cream still needs to dry and absorb."

Jeonghan beamed at the other betas and walked right over to the big pile of bedding. He looked up at the top of it, it must be all the bedding from the two dorms and then some. His legs chose that moment to give out and he flopped onto it and pushed it over, giggling when it fell down into a mess. 

Jeonghan lay on top of the heap for a second, before pushing and pulling and scenting and moving the different nest pieces around into a big circle. He stopped and panted, whining until Seokmin came closer. 

"Do you want a hand?"

"Please?"

With Seokmin’s help, Jeonghan managed to make a big layered nest, mostly colour coordinated, with a wall of blankets woven around the side and a soft mattress base. 

Once he was satisfied, he pounced on Seokmin, hovering above his collar bone for a split second, Wonwoo’s words going through his head, to ask, "bite?" And the second Seokmin nodded, he sunk his teeth into the skin. 

Seokmin grit his teeth, good god. They were sharp. Jeonghan pulled back quickly, licking it closed and cuddling into his side, his scent the picture of satisfied, pleased omega. 

"Bite?"

"Okay, okay." Seokmin grumbled with a smile, turning until he could access an unblemished part of Jeonghan’s shoulders. Finding one, he nipped and sucked a hickey onto the skin, not a particularly big fan of biting, until he was satisfied that it would last long enough. 

"Jeonghannie? Will you drink some water? And eat something?" Vernon asked, crouching by the side of the nest and Jeonghan shook his head. 

"Soonyoung-ah said bites second. Please?"

"Right," Vernon looked over to Soonyoung. Soonyoung threw his hands up in the air and shrugged. He sighed and looked back to Jeonghan. "Do you want mine now?"

Jeonghan nodded. 

"Can I come in?"

Jeonghan nodded and Vernon carefully, he didn’t want to break the nest, climbed into the nest and went over to Jeonghan. Jeonghan clambered into his lap, hugging him tightly and nosing against his scent gland until it was wet with scent, and then he lapped at it for a while. 

Vernon would have shaken his head in disbelief, this hyung had no manners. He bit down on Jeonghan’s shoulder and Jeonghan started to purr. He really didn’t get the biting thing. Oh, there we go. Jeonghan’s fangs sank into his scent gland. It was sore. Why did he want this?

Jeonghan was purring loudly when he eventually detached and Vernon took the opportunity to get him to eat some water balls and a bar of some sort. Proper food could be reheated. Post-heat beta duty was mainly wrangling. Like herding sheep. Floppy, exhausted sheep that just wanted hugs. And bites apparently. 

Wonwoo and Jun came in at some stage and Jeonghan waved them into the nest lazily, leaning against Seokmin and munching from a bowl of chopped fruit. Now and then, he’d crane his neck for kisses or look to Vernon for a smile. 

"Seungkwan-ah? Do you want to come for a shower now?" Soonyoung asked and Jeonghan looked at him, alarmed. 

"Soon-ah? You said bites?"

"Oh of course, where do you want mine?" Soonyoung rounded the nest and crouched down near Jeonghan. 

"Come in, beta. Nape of my neck?"

Soonyoung squished down between the three of them and stroked Jeonghan’s shoulders, moving his hair out of the way. As places went, it was a pretty good spot. No bites already there, in any case. "Ok, tell me if it hurts," Soonyoung mumbled and bit down with little fanfare. 

Jeonghan’s eyes snapped shut in pleasure and he let out an "oooooo" of pleasure. 

Soonyoung eventually pulled back. "Happy?"

"Thank you, beta!"

"You’re very welcome, lovely. I’m going to kidnap Seungkwan-ah now for some pampering, okay?" he asked, standing up and Jeonghan nodded, leaning back against Seokmin and eating some more fruit. 


	8. Cuddle Corner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And everything comes to a … bumpy but ultimately gentle end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Drama but eventually SOFTNESSSSSS
> 
> [Ester](https://twitter.com/yilinges). Seriously don’t suggest such handy things to me after I’ve finished editing *sigh*, but thank you for suggesting such handy things!
> 
> Also, just, @ myself for this chapter: Rose are you okay?

Jeonghan was purring up a storm, burrowed between Vernon and Seokmin. He had his hands on his belly, rubbing circles gently, he’d been doing so since they’d settled in the nest. Seokmin looked at Vernon warily. 

There tended to be a point in post-heat where omegas realised that they weren’t pregnant. They shouldn’t be able to tell so soon after, betas couldn’t, it was a genetic thing. Also, contraception tended to be something you forgot about in heat and remembered later. 

Seungkwan tended to cry a little but push through it; he was never deep enough in omega-space to completely forget he couldn’t get pregnant, so it hadn’t been an issue. With Wonwoo, it depended on his mood. Once he’d completely broken down when he’d realised, but generally he accepted that he wasn’t ready for pups yet. 

With the way Jeonghan’s heat had been going, nobody expected him to push past it easily, so when he’d started rubbing his stomach, they got a little tense. 

That’s probably what started it. 

Jeonghan’s purr faltered and he looked down at his stomach, pressing on it gently. 

"I’m … not pregnant."

"No you’re not," Seokmin said gently, praying that he would take it okay. 

"We’re all on injections aren’t we?"

Vernon swallowed, "We are."

"So that whole heat thing was pointless?" Jeonghan hissed out and pulled away from them into a small ball of anger and frustration.

Ah shit. Angry omega. Not good. Really not good. Neither of them had a good answer for that and they looked over at Jun and Wonwoo pleadingly. 

Wonwoo sighed, "Hannie-ya, heats tell you you’re healthy-"

"Yes, but they’re supposed to get me pregnant!" Jeonghan screamed and Vernon winced. He didn’t know whether to try and soothe him or let him at it. 

"Every single time my body screams to be bred," Jeonghan spat the last word, "And every single time it doesn't get what it wants. It’s so stupid, three days of my head screaming for children, crying for pups, begging for a baby, and at the end, every. Single. Fucking. Time. I’m bloody well empty! What’s the point of it all?" Jeonghan screamed, tears rolling down his face. He swiped at them. "I hate it."

"I hate them." he sobbed, his entire body shaking with the force of the tears. Seokmin curled tighter around him, nuzzling against his neck, his own tears wetting Jeonghan’s shoulder. 

"I hate heats." his voice cracked and then he was bawling into Vernon’s shirt, gripping the material tightly. Vernon just hummed quietly, there was really nothing he could say to make this better. Nothing any of them could say. They all knew, they’d all known that Jeonghan was broody. This wasn’t surprising. Vernon’s heart broke. He hugged Jeonghan tighter. 

"I just want a baby." Jeonghan whispered and Vernon pulled him upwards, and onto his scent gland. It could only help. It was probably about 60% heat hormones speaking, but it didn’t make what the omega was feeling any less real. 

"In a few years Jeonghan-ah, you can have them in a few years," Vernon managed, but he couldn’t promise that. Who knew when their contracts would allow them a long enough break, and even then. Would Seventeen be able to tour with a pup? It’s not like they’d feel comfortable leaving them behind, Vernon shivered to even think about it. But the road wasn’t exactly the best place either. 

The door opened, Soonyoung and Seungkwan. Seungkwan was wrapped in what looked like new pyjamas and he was beaming. He bounced over to the edge of the nest, "Omega? Can I come in?" When Jeonghan nodded shakily, he bounced over to him and flopped on top of him, elbowing Vernon and Seokmin out of the way and nestled himself under Jeonghan’s chin. 

Jeonghan automatically wrapped his arms around him and Seungkwan reached up to rub along his scent gland until it glistened with scent and proceeded to scent himself. 

"Soonyoung-hyung washed your scent off," he explained, "you smell very nice."

Whatever his true purpose, he’d distracted Jeonghan from the pups issue. For now. Jeonghan was occupied with scenting Seungkwan thoroughly. Maybe he hadn’t been distracted from the pups issue; Seungkwan was starting to smell… very much like a pup. Vernon let out a shaky breath. They were really going to have lots of conversations after this heat had properly passed.

"Wonwoo-ya? Come on, I have a shower ready." Soonyoung called, arm out; his pampering instincts wouldn’t quenched until he’d gotten all the heat participants clean and relaxed. The alphas and betas he’d already snatched straight out of the bedroom, he’d snag Joshua and Jun much later. 

Freed of his cuddle buddy, Jun crawled into the centre of the nest, flicking on some music. 

"Time to nap, I think." It was the glorious real life hour of 6.30 am, and the heat hour of around midnight.

Jeonghan grumbled, but it was only a token protest, he was exhausted. He burrowed back into Seokmin, who wrapped an arm around his waist. Vernon wrapped himself around Seungkwan and Jun sat between them, sending off a rake of texts and dimming the lights. 

Jeonghan woke up ravenous. His stomach was rumbling so loudly that he woke himself up. 

"Good morning, sugar! Did you sleep well?" Seokmin asked cheerfully and Jeonghan looked up at him, screwing his fists into his eyes and blinking rapidly. 

"Time?"

"11 am. How do you feel?"

"Like a bus ran over me. Did I smell food earlier?" Jeonghan yawned, leaning into Seokmin. 

Seokmin smiled, his eyes were only a light faint blue now, "Yeah, we have all your favourites, I just have to reheat them. Do you know what you would like?"

"Oh, Oh. I’m starving?" Choices maybe a bit too much of an ask. Seokmin hummed reassuringly. 

"A bit of everything then?"

Jeonghan nodded and Seokmin smiled. "Ok. Let me up? You can snuggle into Junnie-hyung, he’s just behind you. I’ll be back as fast as I can. Are you okay with me leaving?" Seokmin always found that explicit questions worked best with rising omegas, and Jeonghan liked specifics on a good day. 

Jeonghan took his time contemplating the question. He looked over his shoulder, to where Jun had blinked awake, looking at him fondly. He looked back to Seokmin and nodded. 

"Let me scent you first? Please? I’m sorry, just-"

"Of course you can, Jeonghannie!" Seokmin leaned down, bringing their scent glands together gently. Jeonghan reeled him closer, smoothing the inside of his wrist over the back of Seokmin’s neck and ears. 

He eventually let him go, shrinking back into Jun’s side. Jun draped an arm over him tiredly, pulling him closer and keeping him there. 

Jeonghan ate quickly, ate until he was full and exhausted again. Seokmin just pushed the plates away and tugged Jeonghan back into his arms, humming a lullaby until Jeonghan fell back asleep, twisting until his ear was on Seokmin’s chest. He was adorable.

The next time he woke up, he was hooked up to a drip and cradled between Joshua and... Seungcheol? 

He froze. 

Alpha. Seungcheol. Oh this was so embarrassing, he couldn’t believe he’d been so whiny. Where was Seokmin? And the omegas? He’d asked, Shua had promised they’d stay with him, he couldn’t see them, shit, he’d probably annoyed them so much that they’d left. He didn’t really blame them, but it hurt, he loved them so much and-

"Why are you crying, baby?” Joshua cooed, fiddling with the IV, “You’ve been so good for everyone-"

Jeonghan’s breath hitched, he didn’t know he’d started crying? Joshua met Seungcheol’s eyes with a smile.

"Honey, you’re such a good omega, you’ve been the best for us, listening to everything we’ve said-"

Jeonghan was looking at them now, eyes wide. What were they doing? He was up. He didn’t understand, why was he reacting like-

"How could we not like you in heat, baby? You’ve been perfect-"

"So pretty and obedient, huh?" Joshua asked gently and Jeonghan couldn’t help the blush overtaking his face. He wasn’t in heat, what? Why did he feel so small all of a sudden?

"So good for your hyungs," Seungcheol cooed, and Jeonghan’s eyes had become noticeably bluer. He dropped right back into omega-space.

" _ Hyung! What are you doing? _ " Jun trilled, elbowing Seungcheol away and flicking his eyes down to Jeonghan, " _ You’re supposed to be giving him fluids and bringing him up, not sending him down?! _ "

Jeonghan started to cry again and Joshua clucked at Jun. "If he was ready to come up, this wouldn’t send him down, look what you’ve done-"

Wonwoo wiggled between them all, draped himself firmly on top of Jeonghan, careful of the tubing coming from his wrist, and planted his elbows firmly into the mattress on either side of his head. "Hyungs are being silly aren’t they?"

Startled out of his tears, Jeonghan nodded. 

"Do you want them to leave?" Wonwoo asked, pitching his voice high to be heard over the cacophony of trills, clucks and growls going on behind him. 

Jeonghan nodded, eyes wide, and now that Wonwoo was close enough to smell it above all the posturing, scent scared. 

"Ok love, ok. Cover your ears for me, please," Wonwoo instructed gently, and waited for Jeonghan to do so. When he had his hands pressed tightly against both ears, Wonwoo pressed a kiss to his forehead and turned his head over his shoulder. 

Wonwoo hissed loudly. Threateningly. It wasn’t like the little hisses that had been escaping Jeonghan in frustration during his heat, it was the hiss of an omega defending one of their loved ones. The three behind him shut up immediately. 

"Stop squabbling and go outside. Someone find Vernon and Seokmin and send them back in here, stat."

Wonwoo had promised at the start of Jeonghan’s heat to protect him and that nothing bad would happen on his watch, and Seungcheol, Jun and Joshua were viscerally reminded that omegas had sharp fangs for reasons totally unrelated to marking up their mates. 

Wonwoo smiled. "Now."

Once they’d closed the door behind them, Wonwoo turned back around to Jeonghan, who was still pressing his palms against his ears. 

Pulling his hands away gently, Wonwoo crooned softly and peppered kisses around Jeonghan’s face. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Jeonghan whispered and Wonwoo shook his head sharply.

"No. Not at all."

"Why were they acting like that? I’m finished? I keep slipping back down," Jeonghan huffed and Wonwoo pulled back. If they’d known how deep Jeonghan was going to go, they would have been better prepared. But he didn’t let any of that show, it was not going to help. The hyungs really shouldn’t have been doing whatever they were up to, but there was literally nothing he could do about that right now. 

"I know, it’s okay. I think they were trying to distract you from the needle, but they shouldn't have taken it that far. Don’t force it whatever you do. Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"... there’s a kit under my bed, it’s a shoe box with a blanket in it?"

"Ok, we’ll get someone to grab it. Do you need anything else?"

"Stay, the pressure, I, it’s, I, it helps," Jeonghan managed, blushing heavily. Wonwoo nodded. 

"Sure. Let me know if that changes ok, love?" 

"Okay."

The second Vernon and Seokmin returned, Wonwoo instructed Jeonghan to cover his ears again, he thought he was a bit more settled, but there was no point in scaring him or worrying him any more. He kissed his forehead again and glared at the two betas. 

"What on earth were you doing leaving and letting in an alpha? While Jeonghan was asleep? Seriously guys?"

"Jun-hyung said-"

Wonwoo harrumphed. "I don't care. You should have known better. Don’t do it again. One of you, go and get a box from under Jeonghan’s bed. It has a blanket in it. The other, put on some music and get in here beside us."

Vernon nodded quickly, "Sorry, we didn’t mean to. I’ll be back in a second." Seokmin busied himself hooking music up to the speaker. Wonwoo turned his attention back to Jeonghan, tugging his hands away and giving him an eskimo kiss. 

"Are you okay with Seokminnie laying beside us?" 

"Yes, yes."

Vernon brought in the box and Wonwoo sat up onto his knees, draping the blanket, cloud crochet, over Jeonghan before settling back down on top of him. The omega immediately breathed easier, gathering a handful of it and nuzzling into it. 

"Thanks guys."

"Nonu? Can you move now?" Jeonghan whispered after a little while and Wonwoo slipped over onto one side of him carefully.

"How are you feeling now, love?"

"Can everyone come in to cuddle?" Jeonghan asked instead of answering and Wonwoo smiled widely. 

"Of course they can, Vernon will get them now." 

Vernon started texting quickly, not wanting to incite anymore of Wonwoo’s wrath. He could already hear the scolding they were going to get later.

Jeonghan managed to finish the IV bag and Jun came in to unhook everything, slip the cannula out and press a plaster onto Jeonghan’s wrist before slipping back out just as Minghao peaked around the door.

"Hey sweetheart! Can I come in?"

Jeonghan nodded and sat half up reaching for him with one hand. Minghao slunk over and made space for himself between Wonwoo and a half-asleep Seokmin. He leaned over to kiss Jeonghan hello, petting over the bite he’d left possessively.

"Your nest is so pretty, it’s very well made, omega-ya," the praise made Jeonghan blush lightly, happy.

Jihoon slipped in next and Jeonghan was quick to pull his shirt down a bit and practically order the beta to bite his shoulder. Jihoon grumbled lightheartedly but quickly did as he was told, and let Jeonghan mark him back. In typical Jihoon fashion, he squirmed into Jeonghan’s lap and stayed there. Grounding him. Bites didn’t particularly help with keeping his headspace where it was, but all of Jeonghan’s instincts were screaming at him to collect them all. 

With that thought he spun his head over to Wonwoo.

"Nonu?!"

"Finally remembered I haven’t bitten you yet have you?" Wonwoo was smiling at him, amusement dancing in his eyes. He bent over and with little fuss, sunk his fangs into Jeonghan’s skin.

"Ah shit. Omega? Jeonghannie? Love?"

Jeonghan blinked quickly. He had them all. What a well bitten omega he was. He beamed.

"I didn’t mean to-"

"I’m okay, I’m here." Jeonghan laughed and nuzzled into whoever’s scent mark was closest to him and breathed deeply. Stay up. Stay up. He had them all now. He was the bestest.

Wonwoo smothered a grin in Jeonghan’s hair. Jeonghan was seriously the cutest. He could already feel the cavities.

Seungkwan appeared just as Jeonghan was about to ask for him, kissing him quickly before nuzzling down into Vernon’s embrace, scenting him happily and ignoring everyone else. Jeonghan smiled, his babies were adorable.

Jun and Chan were in next, both kissing him hello and inserting themselves into the growing twist of limbs, praising the softness of the nest, saying that it smelt so lovely, so safe.

Jeonghan couldn’t contain his smile as they petted his bites and cuddled into the members.

Soonyoung bounded into the nest peppering kisses into Jeonghan’s hair and thumbing over his bite mark gently. "Hey omega, I like what you’ve done with the place. Joshua-hyung is outside. He’s worried you don’t want him in." 

Jeonghan frowned. "Of course I want him in," he muttered before pitching his voice loud, "Joshua you idiot, get in here."

Joshua stumbled through the door, bashful and blushing, but dutifully went straight to Jeonghan, who tipped his head back and looked at him.

"You’re an idiot, but I love you. Kiss me."

Joshua smiled with relief. Both at Jeonghan’s words and at the colour of his eyes and pitch of his voice. He kissed him. Gently, sweetly, reassuringly, whispering apologies and praise against his lips as he pulled away. Jeonghan smiled, wide and happy.

After Joshua slipped into the nest behind Jeonghan, a curious whining sound started. Jeonghan looked at the door. Was that… Was that Kim Mingyu?

The door creaked open, Mingyu slowly popped his head over the door, puppy-dog eyes in full effect.

"Omega? Can I? Please? Come in?"

Jeonghan burst into laughter and nodded, waving him in with a regal flap of the hand. "Gyu-ya, you’re something else."

Mingyu knelt carefully, the nest was almost entirely limb at this stage, and bent over to kiss Jeonghan. Jeonghan had a vivid flashback to being pinned by Mingyu’s weight and moaned into the kiss. He immediately pulled away and buried his face into the crook of Mingyu’s neck, face flaming red, everyone was laughing. He whined a little in embarrassment, but it wasn’t helping that he could still feel Mingyu’s hands on his hips, that he had bruises, Soonyoung had rubbed cream into them!

Mingyu didn’t laugh, merely rumbled soothingly, cupping a hand at the base of his neck and just holding him steady. He did so love him.

"It’s ok, Jeonghan-ah. It’s okay."

That, Jeonghan could deal with. "Mingyu-ya!" He pulled back smiling and red faced, "Show some respect to your Hyung!"

Mingyu spluttered, blushing, "I’m sorry!! I’m sorry!! Jeonghan-hyung!"

Jeonghan fell backwards into Joshua, giggling like a fool. "Where’s Seungcheollie?"

"I’m here! I’m here!" Seungcheol backed into the room carrying a large tray of mugs and a very big teapot. Jeonghan eyed his muscles appreciatively.

"Oh you’re such a good provider," Jeonghan simpered, grinning and Joshua had to hide his face in Jeonghan’s neck, pressing his smile against a circle of bites.

Seungcheol blushed and stammered but managed to get the tray onto a table without spilling anything. He proceeded to go around the nest, kissing all the members before picking his way over to Jeonghan, who had been following his progress with wide eyes. If he hadn’t just had a heat strangled out of him… these alphas...these members. He shivered and shook it off.

"Hey omega-ya," Seungcheol rumbled, "That went well?"

All of the other members held back eye rolls. ‘Went well’? Christ. That was the overstatement of the decade.

But Jeonghan smiled, leaning into Seungcheol’s hand on his cheek and turning to kiss the heel of it, eyelashes fluttering. "Yes, alpha."

"That’s good baby, you did so well. We’re all so proud of you."

It was hard for Jeonghan to control a purr at that, so he didn’t, the purr thrumming loudly through the room.

"And this nest is perfect, baby, such a good size, perfect for a nice nap."

Jeonghan purred louder, "but it's only 3pm?"

"I know baby, I know, but you’ve exhausted us all out, let’s have tea and sleep."

Jeonghan looked at him with wide, apologetic eyes, but Seungcheol didn’t even let him get the words out, kissing him silent, kissing him until he wasn’t doubting anything and then he pulled away.

"Tea?" 

Jeonghan nodded but tugged Seungcheol on top of him, "Stay there."

Seungcheol huffed but didn’t move.

None of them moved but to drink their tea. The room smelt primarily of happy, content omega, and Jeonghan's strong thrumming purr reverberated around the nest; the heat, while turbulent, had gone well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s forget that you have to be licenced to administer an IV and pretend that Super Competent Organisational Betas take a course.


	9. Time To Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a debriefing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a long ride, but a good ride. Time to get off.

Jeonghan’s heat had officially ended nearly three days ago, but the omega was loath to let anyone out of his sight for a long period of time, insisting that they all sleep together, piled into the nest that he had banned them from dismantling. 

It was normal, to a point. It was Jeonghan’s first heat with them. His omega was still reeling over the change, and bathing in the newfound sense of security that was their pack. But it meant that what would have normally been an easy conversation with Jun and Joshua, had to be carefully organised and scheduled so that they could speak to him on his own but that he didn’t feel like he was going to lose the others.

Joshua and Jeonghan were curled together on the couch, the rest of the members spread throughout the dorm, out of earshot, but making enough noise that Jeonghan didn’t feel like he had to track them down one by one.

Coming in with a tray full of hot chocolate and gingerbread, Jun sat down in the armchair beside them and with a nod at Jeonghan, flicked on his phone’s recorder and tucked it out of sight behind the candle. Jeonghan hadn’t really relaxed when Jun had been physically taking notes so they's agreed that this was worth a try.

“How do you feel, Hyung?” Jun broke the silence and Jeonghan smiled at him.

“Settled. Grounded. Relieved.”

“Relieved?”

“Happy it’s over, happy it went decently well, happy that nobody hates me over it,” Jeonghan laughed and reached for his mug, “Relieved that it feels right.”

“We were never going to hate you for your heat, Hannie.” Joshua frowned and Jeonghan shook his head.

“I mean, I know that now, but my heats have never been easy, and I wasn’t even totally honest with you, I expected that that would, I don’t know, really piss you of?”

Jun laughed sharply, “It did. It really pissed us off. Hyung, you have to be honest about these things, we had no idea what to do half of the time.”

“You did pretty well though?” Jeonghan shrugged and Jun sighed.

“But we were winging it. We plan things for a reason, so that we have some sort of a framework to work in. You left out so many crucial details, like your headspace? Why didn’t you tell us about that?”

Jeonghan paused, mug halfway to his mouth, “Heat headspace? Isn’t it everyone’s?”

Joshua and Jun looked at him, but took a split second too long to respond and Jeonghan’s hand shook. He put the mug back on the table and leaned back into Joshua, one hand going to the bites on his neck, the other burrowing under his thighs.

He swallowed a few times before managing a “What?”

Joshua scented him quickly, tugging his hand out from under his legs and rubbing his thumb along it’s gland as Jun blushed and rushed to correct himself.

“It’s not abnormal. Your heatspace is just a lot deeper than Seungkwan-ah or Wonwoo-ya’s. We just didn’t expect it. There’s nothing wrong with it. Nothing at all.”

“Tell us about your heatspace, Hannie.” Joshua said gently.

“I drop into it really easily. Out of heat even, like when we chatted in last month. My eyes don’t always go blue, but if they’re blue then I’m always in my headspace. It scares me sometimes. Like at the end of my heat, when you and Cheol-ah were there, I couldn’t control it-”

“They should have never done that Jeonghan-hyung. Everyone’s hormones freak out after a mating cycle, it’s normal to come up and down, especially if your headspace is particularly deep. Chan-ah has a pretty deep headspace in his ruts, sometimes he needs help to come out of it. And now we know, we can talk about what helps you come out of it and stuff like that.”

Joshua tangled his fingers with Jeonghan’s, “I am sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It won’t happen again.”

Jeonghan nodded at the two of them. “We can maybe figure some things out together?”

“Of course. We can talk about that at another time. I’ll do some research,” Jun smiled and Jeonghan laughed.

“I’ll do some too. I slept really well. That’s never happened before. Generally I just, don’t? Sleep? I mean it was probably the whole alpha thing,” Jeonghan winced and closed his eyes, “that I didn’t tell you about either. I’m sorry. I, that was so ridiculous.”

Jun and Joshua said nothing. It had been among other things, ridiculous and reckless.

“I just, I thought it would be a big deal, I’m the eldest, I’ve been using a service for years, it’s kind of ridiculous that I haven’t been with an alpha, but I was told that since I subbed so easily, there was no point. They only had a limited staff, most of which ended up with me anyway, my heats were never easy. When I said two days for my heats, I meant a full 48 hours, nonstop. Sleeping is new and fun and I want it to happen again.”

“Sorry what? That’s insane. 48 hours non-stop are you serious? That’s inhumane!” Joshua bit out, a trill undercoating his words and Jeonghan shrugged. 

“Intense heats, I hate them.”

“That’s not a fucking excuse to fucking torture you, Jesus. Did nobody fucking try anything different?” Joshua shouted, before breathing in and out deeply. “Sorry. I just. Can’t- Jun, I need a second. Sorry Hannie, I’m not mad at you.” Joshua managed, grazing his wrist against Jeonghan’s neck in reassurance before getting off the couch and stepping out on the balcony, door slamming shut behind him. 

Jeonghan stared after him, “That’s what I was worried about.”

“Hyung?” Jun closed his eyes briefly.

Jeonghan turned back to Jun, a smile fixed in place.

“Stop faking. What else is there for us to be mad about? Just tell me everything now. Wonwoo-ya was worried about the biting. Is there anything else?”

“Mm, I mean. I’ve been with various services since I was 15, Jun-ah. Nobody wants a 15 year old begging to be filled and stinking of slick. Most places just cycle in a new omega or beta until the heat is over. They’re not supposed to be a long term solution, packs are best,” he laughed bitterly, that was the slogan of every TV advert, “you can’t bite in a service, so there are fang caps and everyone has a neck shield. I tended to bite through my caps, so they’d get replaced every few hours. You don’t need to know all of this, it’s only going to upset you and it’s in the past. We’re bonded, my heat went well, that’s it right? All my future heats, well, pack is best.”

Jun didn’t know what to say.

“Junnie, it’s okay-”

“It’s not, Hyung it’s not. That, I don’t even know where to start. Did your parents not just swaddle you?”

Jeonghan cocked his head, “Like a baby? I mean I know my headspace is deep but I’m not a child, I appreciated that you didn’t treat me like one by the way-”

“No, no, heat swaddling?” Jun started to explain, but Joshua came back in, tear tracks drying on his face.

“I’m sorry guys.” Joshua half bowed and went over to Jun, dropping his nose into the crook of his neck and breathing deeply before pulling away with a kiss to his cheek. “Okay. What are we talking about?”

“Heat swaddling.” Jun turned back to Jeonghan, “It’s the best nonsexual heat method. We’ve done it for Seungkwan before when he got his dates wrong, before we were bonded, but still. Scenting, wrapping tightly in blankets and cold foods. Generally if you don’t start with sex, the heat doesn’t expect it. I’m surprised you’ve never-”

“Never heard of it.” Jeonghan shrugged, nestling back into Joshua’s side and gripping onto his wrist tightly.

“Okay. Okay. And about the biting-”

“Junnie do we have to?”

“Yeah. Hyung we do. You don’t have to be in heat to be bitten, if it’s something you ever want, one of us can do it, or all of us. Judging by how they seem to soothe you,” Jun nodded at where Jeonghan was currently petting three of his bites, apparently subconsciously by the way his fingers suddenly stilled, “and by how bite driven you are in heat, it’s probably something you’d like?” Jun was hedging but Jeonghan smiled brightly.

“Yes. Please. Like the way Cheol-ah scents everyone like he’s a perfume, but it’s just a possession thing?”

Joshua nodded, “Yep, and how Soonyoung-ah wants like 15 kisses an hour. We’ll just have to pick spots that won’t hurt as much, no heat means no heat numbness, and be extra careful to clean them well, but you can have them whenever you want okay?”

Jeonghan’s scent flared, pleased and curious, and he burrowed closer to Joshua, “That sounds amazing.”

Jun smiled and took a fortifying sip of hot chocolate.

“The whining,” Joshua started, nuzzling against Jeonghan’s hair.

Jun nodded, “the whining.”

“The whining? Oh, yes. The whining. Yes. Well. Cycling through lots of people that you don’t see again till your next heat and that just don’t come back after they leave the room is scary. I imagine it’ll go, after maybe a few heats. It wasn’t as bad towards the end?” Jeonghan tried to brush it off, but there was a whine coating his words and his eyes were darting around the room, ears straining to hear the other members.

“Hyung?” Jun tried to get his attention and Jeonghan looked back at him, mostly, he kept turning his head to the door. “Hyung, we’re never going to leave you alone during your heat. There’ll always be one or two of us with you.”

“Thanks. Yes. It was good this time. Even if I sounded like a kitten left out in the rain.”

Joshua stifled a laugh and wrapped his arm around Jeonghan tighter, “Nobody is going anywhere. Two more things before you go off and check on everybody. Was there anything you didn’t like?”

“People leaving. But I get why. It’s something I’ll just have to work on I think?” Jeonghan tried to relax back into Joshua, fingers drumming a beat on Seungcheol’s bite mark.

“We can work on it together. Ok last thing, what was that whole thing where you wanted to leave your nest and finish your heat but you just weren’t finished?”

“I don’t know. Guilt? I just wanted it to be over and I was worried? That if I took too long or something that it would make you upset? The service...was always booked back to back. It doesn’t matter. I know now it won’t, I just, heat does weird things to my head.”

“You know that you can spend as long as you want or need in your headspace? There’ll never be a rush?” Jun double checked and Jeonghan nodded.

“Yes. I know. I enjoyed this heat. I did. I want to do it like that again,” Jeonghan said firmly, reaching to pat Jun’s knee and smiling, wide and happy. He was happy. His heat had gone well, in the end, he was finally fully comfortable with his pack and he was pleased.

And he really needed to see everyone else now.

“Thank you betas, you’re, you made everything easy. Well. Wonwoo-ya was the best. But you two were close joint second.” Jeonghan turned to kiss Joshua before getting up off the couch and kissing Jun. “And now, I really need to see everyone before I convince myself that they’ve all climbed out windows-” his face blanched and he was gone, a door opening a second later to a screech from Vernon and laughter from Jeonghan.

Jun moved over to Joshua and flopped down beside him, “I really want to punch something.”

“Me too.”

“And also just hide Hyung away from the world.”

“He wouldn’t thank you.”

“I know, he’d fight me,” Jun grumbled and rearranged himself, dragging a blanket up over them, “Let’s nap. Naps are good.”

“Mmmm,” Joshua nodded and snuggled closer, “We didn’t talk about the baby thing.”

“Another day. That’s less of a heat issue I think. And ‘sides, Hyung was reaching his limit. There’s only so much soul talk he can do at once. It went well.”

“Yeah-” Joshua yawned, “it did. It did.”

“More talking in the future.”

“But sleeping now.”

“Yes.”

After reassuring himself that everyone was still here, Jeonghan went back to Seungcheol and squished in beside him. Seungcheol was gaming, but he paused it and Jeonghan wiggled under his arm.

“Han?”

“Happy.” Jeonghan pressed his face against Seungcheol’s chest, tears welling up, “Happy I spent my heat with everyone, even if it was hard for you some of the time. I love everyone so much.”

Seungcheol put his console away and wrapped his arms around Jeonghan, “I’m happy you did too. You’re so pretty in heat. And I’m glad you trust us that much, it means lots you know that?”

Jeonghan nodded, rubbing his nose on Seungcheol’s hoodie and nosing into his neck, purring quietly. He loved them all, and he’d made the best decisions.

“Nap time now.”

“Go ahead love.” Seungcheol kissed his hair and Jeonghan closed his eyes. 

  
Safe, secure and loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all my lovely reviewers, Thank You! You made this so so fun!!
> 
> Thanks for reading, come find me at the various socials, and leave your thoughts in that handy comment box below!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think!
> 
> [I'm on Twitter too!](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant) and [CuriousCat](https://curiouscat.qa/MurderRose) now, which is wild.


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